FANTASY & SCIENCE-FICTION ADVENTURE GAME
Final Author and Editor-In-Chief: Kyle Mecklem
Art,ork is released under Creative Commons BY-SA. OSR logo is copyright 2011 Stuart Robertson, and does Contributing Authors and Editors: Andy Isbell, Brian not endorse Open Adventure. Isikof, Che Webster, Christopher Cortright, Matthe, Skail, James Gr, Joel Siragher, and Stephan Beal. Special Thanks: Gary Gygax, Dave Arneson, Aaron Allston, Dave Cook, Tom Moldvay, Frank Mentzer, Rob Illustrations: Christopher Cortright, Kyle Mecklem, Rusty Kuntz, and the role-playing community. Hatfield © Gallivanter Games 2018; OA is published under a Creative Commons Attribution CC BY 4.0 license. Illustrations and icons © their respective artists, used ,ith permission. DOWNLOAD, DISCUSS, AND DEVELOP THE OPEN ADVENTURE GAME AT: http://gallivanter.games First Printing–February 2018–v.1.1 ISBN 978-1-329-08108-6
TABLE
OF
Table of Contents…………………………………………………..………...i For,ard………………………………………………………….….………..……..ii Chapter I: Introduction....................................................1 Ho, to Play...................................................................1 Ho, To Use The Dice................................................2 Advantage & Disadvantage.................................3 Proficiency & Ineptitude.....................................3 Primary Abilities..........................................................4 Strength (STR)........................................................4 Perception (PER)...................................................5 Dexterity (DEX).....................................................5 Intelligence (INT)..................................................5 Vitality (VIT)...........................................................5 Charisma (CHA).....................................................5 Magic (MAG)...........................................................5 Secondary Abilities.....................................................5 Health ..................................................................6 Stamina .................................................................6 Saves..........................................................................7 Initiative...................................................................8 Attack & Defense...................................................8 Magic Points...........................................................9 Independent Abilities................................................9 Perks.........................................................................9 Speed........................................................................9 Talents....................................................................10 Chapter II: Character Creation....................................11 I. Select Species & Race............................................11 II. Choose An Archetype.........................................13 Arcanist...................................................................13 Disciple...................................................................14 Scout........................................................................14 Warrior...................................................................16 III. Customize the Character.................................16 V. Fill in the Numbers..............................................16 Chapter III: Equipment & Services............................19 Money...........................................................................19 Equipment..................................................................19 Weaponry..............................................................19 Armor.....................................................................21 Adventure Equipment.......................................22 Chapter IV: The Adventure..........................................23 General Game Rules................................................23 Adventure Rules........................................................24 Distance & Spaces...............................................24 Distance, Area & Volume............................24 Time Measurement............................................25 Movement & Travel...........................................25 Rest & Recuperation..........................................26 Long Rests.......................................................26 Short Rests.......................................................27 Natural Healing..............................................27 Death.......................................................................27 Light & Vision......................................................27 Line of Sight...................................................27 Cover.................................................................27 Concealment..................................................28
i – Open Adventure Basic Rulebook
CONTENTS Illumination....................................................28 Damage Types.....................................................29 Conditions............................................................29 Gaining Experience Levels...............................31 Chapter V: Combat.........................................................33 Initiative & Surprise.................................................33 Combat Rounds........................................................33 1. Declare Actions................................................33 3. Resolve Actions...............................................34 Combat Actions.........................................................34 Melee Attacks.......................................................35 Ranged Attacks....................................................36 Unarmed Attacks.................................................36 Exult Points...........................................................37 Advanced Combat.....................................................37 Targeting Body Regions....................................37 Aimed Attacks......................................................37 Dual-Wielding T,o Weapons..........................38 Combat Abilities........................................................38 Chapter VI: Magic...........................................................41 Magic Forms...............................................................41 Spells.......................................................................41 Psionics...................................................................41 Special Magic........................................................41 Ceremonial Rituals...................................................42 Casting Magic.............................................................43 Magic Attacks.......................................................44 Saving vs Magic.............................................44 List of Magic...............................................................44 Blue Magic............................................................45 Green Magic.........................................................45 Red Magic.............................................................46 White Magic.........................................................46 Light Psionics.......................................................47 Dark Psionics........................................................47 Prismatic Magic...................................................47 Achromatic Magic...............................................47
FORWARD The rules in this book are as complete as possible ,ithin the limits of one book, and maintaining the practicality of being able to memorize the rules. That is to say, this book covers the major aspects of medieval fantasy and science-fiction expeditions but still remains fexible and easy to read. As ,ith any other set of role-playing rules they are to be considered guidelines to follo, in designing your o,n fantastic medieval or science-fiction expedition. The rules provided to you are a frame,ork in ,hich you can build a game of simplicity or extraordinary complexity—your o,n imagination and free time are your only real limiting factors, and the fact that you’re reading these rules suggests you’re not lacking in imagination. The magic of the game is in that those ,ho play ,ill ,ant to find more and more time for it. It is advised, ho,ever, that an expedition begin slo,ly, follo,ing the steps outlined ,ithin this book, so as to avoid becoming too bogged do,n ,ith unfamiliar rules and details. Your expedition should build naturally, at the pace best suited to the referee and players, smoothing the learning curve for all involved. Old rules can be thro,n out, and ne, ones substitute their place as to keep the game fresh ,ith diferent situations, ideas, and options. In addition, the players themselves should contribute to the game experience as ,ell. Players are encouraged to interact ,ith the mechanics and story as to make the campaign unique and ever-changing. Follo, this advice, and you’ll have a living game. If you’re a player reading the OA rules in order to learn ho, to play or improve your play style, you’ll find there is much to read and glean from ,ithin this book. If your referee has made changes in the rules and/or tables, simply make a note of the changes in pencil (you never kno, ,hen the rules ,ill change again and you may need to erase something previously ,ritten). Keep this rulebook nearby ,hen you play for helpful reference. A quick glance at the rules may reveal an overlooked treasure or tactic that could save your game “life”! Read through the entire ,ork contain ,ithin, in the order presented, before you attempt to play.
Kyle Mecklem
29 October 2014
Open Adventure Basic Rulebook – ii
CHAPTER I: INTRODUCTION
O
ADVENTURE is a role-playing game for persons 10 years of age or older. In the game rules, individuals play characters in a medieval fantasy or science-fiction ,orld ,here super po,ers and magic are real, and heroes & heroines venture to unexplored frontiers in search of fame, fortune, and conquest. Characters gain experience by overcoming perils, defeating enemies, and acquiring lost treasures. As characters gain experience they gro, in both po,er and talent. OPEN ADVENTURE (OA) is best played ,ith t,o or more people, though the game can be played solo ,ith a fe, modifications to the base rules. This game is most enjoyable ,hen played by a group of t,o to nine people, though in theory any number of players may participate. Unlike other games, this game does not use a board or actual playing pieces. All that's needed to play are these rules, a couple of six-sided dice, pencil & graph paper, and a creative imagination. The game is more exciting if figurines, a game mat, and/or dioramas are used, but the game can be played ,ithout such visual aids. If you ,ish to learn ho, to play OPEN ADVENTURE or similar role-playing games, begin by reading this first chapter of the book. You are not required to memorize all the rules of this game–that ,ould take far too long. Instead, try to understand the concepts portrayed ,ith the rules and do your best to act out ,hat you think is best or most fitting for your character. PEN
HOW
TO
PLAY
READ THIS SECTION CAREFULLY! The terms discussed here ,ill be used throughout this game book. These terms can also be found in the GLOSSARY on page XYZ.
PLAYER SETUP When a group of people gather together to play a game of OPEN ADVENTURE, one acts as a game host, referee and narrator, kno,n as a Game Host (GH). The others play roles of medieval fantasy or science-fiction characters and are called Characters or Creatures. Each player is in control of an imaginary avatar kno,n as a Player-Character (PC). Other imaginary avatars are played by the Host and kno,n as Non-Player Characters (NPCs). A group of characters (PCs and/or NPCs) together are kno,n as a Party. Each game session is called an Adventure. Adventures can last as long as players and the Host decide to play. An adventure may run for hours, or last an entire ,eekend! The length of play time depends on the ,ishes and schedules of the players
and the GH. Several related adventures played over a series of game sessions are kno,n as an Expedition. Newcomer Players. During the adventure, players ,ith characters that have attained level 1 or higher should be allo,ed to refer to this rulebook ,henever they ,ish. Ho,ever, players ,ho are playing for the first time, or ,ho have a character that has not yet reached level 1, are instead encouraged to only read this chapter of the book and discover OPEN ADVENTURE through their o,n interactions and exploration (not through the rules of the game). Players should NEVER be allo,ed to read the rules from the Game Host's rulebook until they take on the mantle of GH. The excitement and mystery of monsters, aliens, and magic could be spoiled if someone reads the Game Host's rulebook before they are ready.
GAME SETUP & PREPARATION Before the players meet up to play OA, everyone should remember to bring ,ith them any supplies or equipment they need–such as pencils, dice, paper (both normal and graph), and, if available, character record sheets (character record sheets can be found at the back of this book on page XYZ). It’s also recommended to bring refreshments for yourself and others as games of this nature can last for hours. Game Aids & Layout. Typically a large table is used for the players to sit and gather around. The Game Host sits on one end of the table ,ith the GHR, adventure maps, and the soon-to-be-discovered secrets of the adventure. The Game Host may ,ish to use a book, cardboard, or other vertical partition to form a privacy screen (kno,n as a Shield) so the players do not see or read the adventure's secrets. The players sit around the table ,here they can easily see any map being dra,n, the marching order of the figurines representing the party members (if used) and so on. The table should be kept orderly and free of distracting devices and items.
GAME PLAY OPEN ADVENTURE is played out as an interactive story bet,een the players and Game Host. A typical game ebbs and fo,s bet,een three general phases.
1. GAME HOST DESCRIBES THE SCENE At the beginning of the game, the Host describes the opening scene in ,hich the player-characters are experiencing.
Open Adventure Basic Rulebook – 1
Chapter I: Introduction
AS AN EXAMPLE, A scene could begin in a dungeon on a far away moon or near a small medieval hamlet. The Host’s descriptions might include a fe, details about the ,orld or galaxy–or this kno,ledge may be reserved for the players to discover bit by bit as the adventure unfolds. Regardless of the amount of information revealed, the GH ,ill describe the characters’ immediate surroundings–a tavern, a derelict outpost, an orbiting science station, or ,hatever other situation the GH has chosen as the starting point for the player-character’s adventure.
2. PLAYERS DESCRIBE THE ACTIONS OF THEIR CHARACTERS After setting the scene, the players are free to describe to the Host ,hat their characters are doing, such as “Otael climbs the slope, s,ord in hand, to see ,hat’s at the crest,” or, “I s,itch on my thermal imager and head do,n the stairs.” Exploration. Exploration is encouraged, ,hether to search a catacomb for hidden treasure, or travel the countryside in search of adventure, the party should be naturally curious and inquisitive. During a typical game session, player-characters may solve puzzles, reveal secrets, discover treasure, avoid dangers (such as traps & pits), and encounter other characters. Social Interaction. Players are encouraged to play the role of their PC ,hen interacting ,ith the other players and NPCs. This can be done by the player making in-game decisions on behalf of their character that is most-appropriate for their personality. Talking in the voice of the character is also a fun and creative method of role-playing. When the PCs meet other characters (primarily NPCs) the event is referred to as an Encounter. Encounters may lead to ne, alliances bet,een the t,o parties, or lead to hostilities.
3. GAME HOST DESCRIBES THE RESULTS OF THE PARTIES’ DECISIONS After all the players have decided ,hat their characters ,ill do (and ho, they ,ill do it), the Host ,ill explain in detail the results of the PCs eforts, and thus the interactive story-telling process restarts back to step 1. Combat. Any creature (,hether it be an animal, humanoid, monster, or supernatural being) that is unfriendly to,ards the party or ,ants to fight the player-characters is referred to as an Enemy or Opponent. Combat typically unfolds in a more structured format, ,here each character takes turns fighting, running, or engaging in other combat-related activities. For more details on combat, see CHAPTER FIVE: COMBAT starting on page XYZ. 2 – Open Adventure Basic Rulebook
LONG-TERM PLAY Players are encouraged to play multiple related adventures (“expeditions”) over the course of several play sessions. The player may re-use the same character throughout each adventure (so long as they are not killed in battle or die on their expedition). As a character overcomes the challenges and completes the objectives in each adventure, they earn Experience Points (XP). Experience points gained from one adventure are retained throughout the lifetime of the adventurer. With enough XP, the PC ,ill be promoted to a ne, Level. With each level earned, the character ,ill gro, stronger, smarter, and more resilient. In total, a PC can be promoted up to 10 times in OPEN ADVENTURE (starting at 0th level). Non-player characters (including enemies) have levels as ,ell and may even be promoted over time. An enemy's level indicates ho, ferocious and difcult they are to defeat in combat.
HOW TO USE THE DICE When referring to dice, an abbreviation is often used. The first number in the abbreviation is the number of dice being rolled follo,ed by the letter “d” (shorthand for “die” or “dice”), and then the number of sides the dice have.
AS AN EXAMPLE, “5d6” would mean to roll fve six-sided dice and add the total of all the dice rolls together. If no number is used after the letter “d” (or “D”), the number of sides are assumed to be 6.
AS AN EXAMPLE, “2D” would mean to roll two six-sided dice and add the total of all the dice rolls together. If a plus (“+”) or minus (“-”) symbol–follo,ed by a number–are present, then you add (or subtract) the number from the overall total.
AS AN EXAMPLE, “1D+3” would mean roll a six-sided die and add three to the total.
Chapter I: Introduction
STANDARD DICE ROLL RESULTS ⚀
⚁
⚂
⚃
⚄
⚅
⚀
0
-1
-1
-1
-1
-1
⚁
+1
0
-2
-2
-2
-2
⚂
+1
+2
0
-3
-3
-3
⚃
+1
+2
+3
0
-4
-4
⚄
+1
+2
+3
+4
0
-5
⚅
+1
+2
+3
+4
+5
0
If the t,o dice rolls are the same, then there is no lo,est number and the skill tested is unmodified.
AS AN EXAMPLE, A roll of 5 on the white die and a 2 on the black die would mean a result of -2 to a skill test since the 2 was the lowest number rolled. A roll of 1 on the white die and 1 on the black die would mean a result of +0 to a skill test since neither die rolled lowest. A roll of 1 on the white die and 3 on the black die would mean a result of +1 to a skill test since the 1 was the lowest number rolled.
20% 15% 10% 5% 0% -5
-4
-3
-2
-1
0
+1
+2
+3
+4
+5
UNIVERSAL DICE MECHANIC In OPEN ADVENTURE any action that a character attempts to perform that has a possibility of failure (,hich ,ould have a significant consequence)–such as a PC attempting a daring jump across a ,ide crevasse–uses a dice roll to determine if the attempt ,as successful or failed.
THREE-STEP DICE PROCESS 1. Roll The Dice. To resolve a character’s ability test, roll t,o six-sided dice of diferent colors (preferably one die being ,hite and the other black). The ,hite die represents yang, good luck, and positive numbers. The black die represents yin, bad luck, and negative numbers. After rolling the dice simultaneously, you only need to pay attention to the single die that rolled the lowest number (the other die roll can be ignored). 2. Add The Die & Character Ability. Add the lo,est-rolled die to the most-relevant ability that the character is attempting to use in their ability test:
If the lo,est number rolled ,as on the ,hite die, add the number to ,hichever ability is being tested.
If the lo,est number rolled ,as on the black die, subtract the number from ,hichever ability is being tested.
Possible outcomes range from -5 to +5, ,ith a statistical bias to,ards a roll of 0. Throughout Open Adventure this style of dice rolling is kno,n as a Standard Roll (or simply “roll” for short). 3. Compare The Total To A Target Number. If the total number from step 2 is equal to (or higher than) a certain predetermined number (usually 10), the character is successful in their test. If the total is belo, the target number, the character has failed. Dice In Combat. For an example on ho, dice rolls are used during game combat, see page XYZ.
ADVANTAGE & DISADVANTAGE Certain special external in-game factors may tip the situation in the character’s favor, granting them an Advantage. Similarly a special external factor can ,ork against them, giving them Disadvantage. When the character has advantage (or disadvantage), the standard roll is performed slightly diferent. If the character has advantage, t,o standard rolls are made (instead of one) and only the higher result is taken. Inversely, if a character has disadvantage, t,o standard rolls are made–except only the lo,er result is kept, instead.
PROFICIENCY & INEPTITUDE Similar to advantage & disadvantage, special internal factors may cause the character to perform an action ,ith expertise, pro,ess and Proficiency–or ,ith clumsiness, a,k,ardness and Ineptitude. When the character is proficient (or inept), the standard roll is performed diferently. If the character is proficient in a task, the black die is replaced ,ith another ,hite die (so t,o ,hite dice are rolled).
Open Adventure Basic Rulebook – 3
Chapter II: Character Creation
CHARACTER ABILITY COMPARISONS Ability Score
Strength
Perception
Dexterity
Intelligence
Vitality
Charisma
Magic
1-2
Feeble
Imperceptive
Blunderous
Dim-Witted
Sickly
Odious
Runic
3-4
Weak
Una,are
Clumsy
Lo,
Delicate
Unpleasant
Ensorcelled
5-6
Average
Average
Average
Average
Average
Average
Marvelous
7-8
Strong
Observant
Agile
Gifted
Resilient
Charming
Mythical
9-10
Mighty
Intuitive
Vivacious
Genius
Stal,art
Captivating
Other,orldly
PRIMARY ABILITIES
AS AN EXAMPLE, Normally a character would roll a white die and a black die. However, because the character is profcient in a special situation, the player would replace the black die with a second white die. Both dice are rolled, with results of +4 & +3. The player keeps the lowest-rolled die, for a fnal result of +3. Ho,ever, if the character is inept, the ,hite die is replaced ,ith another black die (t,o black dice are rolled), instead. All Other Rules Apply. With both advantage & disadvantage and proficiency & ineptitude, all other rules concerning standard rolls still apply. The lo,est-rolled die is still kept as the result (unless the lo,est-rolled is tied ,ith one or more other dice, in ,hich case the result is 0). One Of Each Type Allowed. A character can never have more than one instance of the same bonus or penalty (e.g. t,o advantages are not allo,ed). Ho,ever, they can have one of each–except for the opposite forms.
Primary Abilities represent diferent attributes of a character. There are seven primary abilities: Strength, Perception, Dexterity, Intelligence, Vitality, Charisma, and Magic. Primary abilities are represented by a number of points (also kno,n as a “score”) ,hich denote ho, po,erful the character is in a particular ability. A character of average stature has 30 such points divided amongst the seven primary abilities. During character creation, no primary ability can have less than 1 point allocated to it (except the Magic ability, see belo,), or more than 10 points placed into it. A primary ability ,ith a value of 5 is considered average for a normal adult human.
OPTIONAL MAGIC TRAIT The Host may decree that paranormal po,ers of magical origin are disallo,ed during the adventure. If magic is prohibited, or a character is not capable of using magic, the PC’s Magic ability should have 0 points assigned to it. For more information and a list of magic spells and psionics, see page XYZ.
AS AN EXAMPLE,
Primary Abilities List
A character is about to perform an ability test. They have both advantage and profciency. They also are carrying a magical item that would grant them another profciency.
STRENGTH (STR)
However, because they already have one profciency, they cannot take another. If circumstances ever grant a character to have both advantage and disadvantage simultaneously, or to become proficient and inept at the same time, the t,o efects cancel out and the character loses both.
The seven primary abilities, and their significance, are explained hereafter.
Strength is a measure of a character's muscular po,er, and physical bra,n. This ability afects ho, much ,eight a character can carry and ,hat feats of strength (such as bending bars or lifting portcullises) they can perform. Strength is particularly important to ,arriors, but also crucial to any character ,ho is likely to engage in hand-to-hand combat.
4 – Open Adventure Basic Rulebook
Melee Combat. Characters’ melee attack score is equal to their Strength plus their melee ,eapon’s destruction score (see page XYZ).
Chapter II: Character Creation
PERCEPTION (PER)
Fortitude Save. Characters’ fortitude score is equal to their vitality (see page XYZ).
Perception refers to eye-hand coordination, attention to detail, and natural intuition. Perception is particularly important to marksmen, but also crucial to any character ,ho ,ishes to remain keen and alert to their surroundings, or use ranged ,eaponry.
Health. Characters’ begin ,ith a health score equal to their vitality (see page XYZ).
Stamina. Characters begin ,ith a stamina score equal to their Vitality (,hich represents their vigor and endurance–see page XYZ).
Initiative. Characters’ combat initiative score is equal to their Perception (see page XYZ).
CHARISMA (CHA)
Ranged Combat. Characters’ ranged attack score is equal to their Perception plus their ranged ,eapon’s destruction score (see page XYZ).
Charisma is a combination of personal appearance, charm, and leadership capability. Additionally Charisma is a measure of a character’s steadfastness, ,illpo,er, and convictions. Charisma is particularly important to luminaries, but also crucial to any character ,ho is likely to persuade, intimidate, or lead others.
DEXTERITY (DEX) Dexterity is a measure of a character’s ability to perform agile tasks, fight unarmed, and avoid attacks. Dexterity is particularly important to fighters, but also crucial to any character ,ho engages in athletic & nimble activities, or needs to react quickly in the face of danger.
Defense. Characters’ defense score is equal to their Dexterity plus their armor’s protection score (see page XYZ).
Refex Save. Characters’ refex score is equal to their Dexterity (see page XYZ).
Unarmed Combat. Characters begin ,ith an unarmed combat score equal to their Dexterity (see page XYZ).
INTELLIGENCE (INT) Intelligence represents ho, ,ell a character can use reasoning to solve mental problems and recall kno,ledge. Intelligence is particularly important to scouts, but also crucial to any character ,ho is likely to learn a large array of skills.
Magic. Characters can memorize up to a number of magical spells and/or psionics equal to their Intelligence (see page XYZ).
VITALITY (VIT) Vitality is a measure of a character’s constitution, stamina, and physical fortitude. Vitality is particularly important to disciples, but is also crucial to all characters since it determines their overall health.
Magic Attack. Characters mastery over using magic during combat is equal to their Charisma plus their Magic (see page XYZ).
Willpower Save. Characters’ ,illpo,er score is equal to their Charisma (see page XYZ).
MAGIC (MAG) Magic represents the innate ability for a character to harness unseen but potent supernatural po,ers. Magic is particularly important for arcanists and disciples, but also crucial for any character ,ho ,ishes to harness magical po,ers.
Magic Attack. Characters mastery over using magic during combat is equal to their Magic plus their Charisma (see page XYZ).
Mana & Psi. The number of mana points and/or psi points a character has is equal to their Magic (see page XYZ).
SECONDARY ABILITIES Secondary Abilities are sub-characteristics of PCs & NPCs. They represent an extension of specific primary abilities. Each secondary ability is based of the score of one primary ability (,ith the exception of magic mastery, ,hich is based of t,o primary abilities). Thus, if a secondary ability ,ere based of a character’s Strength, the ability ,ould share the same score. Additionally, secondary abilities often have numerical modifications that ,ill further increase (or decrease) their total score separate from that of the base primary ability. Therefore, if a secondary ability had a +1 modifier assigned to it, it ,ould be 1 point higher than the primary trait it’s based of. Open Adventure Basic Rulebook – 5
Chapter II: Character Creation There are 12 secondary abilities every PC and NPC possesses: health, stamina, fortitude, refex, ,illpo,er, initiative, magic attack, melee attack, ranged attack, unarmed attack, defense, and mana/ psi.
HEALTH Health is represented by a number of Health Points (HP or ). HP are a measure of ho, many points a character can lose before they die. A character ,ith many health points can sufer more damage, and is more likely to survive in combat, compared to a character ,ith less HP. Ne, characters begin the game ,ith a number of HP equal to their Vitality score. A character ,ith 0 (or less) health points immediately succumbs to their ,ounds and dies. Details about character death can be found in CHAPTER 4: THE ADVENTURE.
STAMINA Stamina represents a character's endurance, vigor, energy, and resistance to fatigue. Characters start the game ,ith a number of Stamina Points (SP or ) equal to their Vitality. Certain perks, talents, actions, magic, and equipment may reduce a character's stamina points in exchange for special efects or benefits. If a character runs out of stamina, they may not spend additional SP until they regain at least 1 stamina point. Ho,ever, if a character is forced to continue to lose SP (such as from a magical efect) they lose HP, instead.
AS AN EXAMPLE, A player-character with 0 stamina points who takes 2 SP damage loses 2 HP, instead.
ABILITY TESTS Characters may perform various actions ,ithin the game ,orld (such as running, jumping, s,imming, or talking), based of their abilities. When players talk aloud at the game table, the assumption stands that their ,ords are meant as the dialogue of their player-character.
AS AN EXAMPLE, A player speaking aloud “You dare unsheathe your dagger in front of the king?! You bring dishonor to this court!” indicates the words their PC speaks.
6 – Open Adventure Basic Rulebook
SECONDARY ABILITIES Secondary Ability
Base Primary Ability
Health
=
Vitality
Stamina
=
Vitality
Fortitude
=
Vitality
Refex
=
Dexterity
Willpo,er
=
Charisma
Initiative
=
Perception
Magic Attack
=
Charisma + Magic
Melee Attack
=
Strength + Weapon
Ranged Attack
=
Perception + Weapon
Unarmed Attack
=
Dexterity - Encumbrance
Defense
=
Dexterity + Armor
=
Magic
SAVE TESTS
COMBAT
MAGIC Mana & Psi
Ho,ever, the player may indicate to the GH that their ,ords are not those of the character, but instead either light banter (bet,een players, the topic of ,hich should remain on the details of the party and their adventure), a question, or request for clarification about the surrounding area, or adventure; or a statement concerning the exact actions of the character ,ithin the imaginary fantasy ,orld. Declaring Actions. When declaring actions of their character, players must be descriptive and dramatic. A proper description should include “,hat” action the player-character is attempting, “ho,” it’s being done, “,hy” the PC chose to do it, “,hen” the PC is doing it (if there's a certain delay or urgency involved) and “,ho” the adventurer is targeting ,ith their actions, if anyone.
Testing Character Abilities When To Test. If the character attempts to perform a mundane or easy task, it’s assumed they ,ill ,ork on the task until it's complete. Per contra, the character attempting an impossible task ,ill simply fail at their endeavor (at the cost of exerting ,asted efort and lost time). The Host ,ill notify the player of the outcome from either scenario. Ho,ever, if the character attempts an action that has a possibility of success, a possibility of failure, and threatens cost (or consequence) if the action fails (e.g. the character struggles to jump over a bottomless pit), the Game Host ,ill adjure for an Ability Test. How To Test Abilities. To perform an ability test, the player makes a standard roll (see page XYZ) after describing the character’s actions to the GH or
Chapter II: Character Creation caller. The results of the roll are applied to one primary ability of the PC that the Host deems mostappropriate for the type of action being performed.
AS AN EXAMPLE, The character wishes to arm wrestle an opponent. The GH determines the character should perform an ability test to see if they're successful. The Game Host decides the Strength ability is the logical primary ability to test. The player adds the result from a standard roll to the PC's Strength ability. Success & Failure. If the grand total of the ability test is equal to (or greater-than) a score of 10, the test is successful. An unsuccessful ability test means the character has failed at performing the action and sufers any cost (or consequence) of their failure.
Test Difficulties Some situations alter the Target Number (TN) needed to succeed at an ability test. A TN may be more (or less) difcult than the default value of 10.
AS AN EXAMPLE, A padlock made of superior materials and crafsmanship may be more difficult to lockpick than a normal lock. The Game Host may decide a character needs to roll a 12 (or higher), instead of a 10, for a successful skill test. Circumstantial Target Numbers. When circumstances ,ithin the adventure, or immediate situation, make the difculty of completing the action being tested easier (or harder) than normal–or ,hen the player's descriptions of the character's actions provide a helpfulness (or hindrance) to the situation–the final target number can be higher (or lo,er) than the default value of 10. The TN can be changed to any number from 1 through 20 (,ith 20 representing maximum difculty) by the GH, at their o,n discretion.
eases, acids, and other ailments. The character begins ,ith a fortitude score equal to their Vitality.
Reflex (REF) Refex is a measure of the character's responsiveness, involuntary refexes, and knee-jerk reactions, as ,ell as the ability to dodge out of the ,ay of incoming dangers from attacks, traps, or falling rocks. The character begins ,ith a refex score equal to their Dexterity.
Willpower (WILL) Willpower represents the character's mental discipline, sanity, and resistance to coercion, charm, and panic. It also represents the character's courage and mental focus. The character begins ,ith a ,illpo,er score equal to their Charisma.
Save Tests When the character attempts to save themselves from damage or an ill-efect, the player may make a special ability test–kno,n as a save test. When To Save. Only certain attacks, abilities, magic spells/psionics, and other efects allo, a character to save against its consequences. It ,ill al,ays be stated ,ithin the rules of the special ability on ,hether a save is possible or not. A successful save means the amount of damage sufered is reduced by half of normal, or the efect is negated entirely (depending on the special effect). An unsuccessful save means the character takes full damage, or sufers the entire efect.
Damage Resistance In special situations the character may have exceedingly strong (or exceptionally ,eak) resistances against certain types of damage (see a list of damage types on page XYZ).
RESISTANCE THRESHOLDS There are five types of resistance thresholds a character may have to,ards various damage types:
Vulnerable. Each time the character sufers damage from a type they are vulnerable to,ards, they sufer double damage, instead.
Susceptible. Each time the character sufers damage from a type they are susceptible to,ards, they must perform a save test (see page XYZ to determine ,hich save test). If they fail, they sufer double damage, instead.
Normal. The default stance most characters have to,ards the majority of damage types. No additional damage is sufered (or negated) from a normal damage resistance.
Resistant. Each time the character sufers damage from a type they are resistant against, they may perform a save test (see page XYZ to deter-
SAVES A Save represents the chance for the character to avoid (or reduce) the efects or damage from certain attacks and conditions. There are three types of saves every character possesses.
Fortitude (FORT) Fortitude is a measure of the character's immune system, hardiness, and physical resilience. A strong fortitude allo,s the character to resist poisons, dis-
Open Adventure Basic Rulebook – 7
Chapter II: Character Creation
mine ,hich save test). If they succeed, they suffer half damage, instead.
ATTACK & DEFENSE
Immune. The character is completely immune to the damage and efects.
When the character finds himself (or herself) in combat, they rely on their attack and defense abilities to survive. The follo,ing information is a general overvie, of combat abilities. For more information about combat, see CHAPTER 5: COMBAT.
As stated above, each damage type may require a specific save test (fortitude, refex, or ,illpo,er) to be performed by the saving character.
AS AN EXAMPLE, The adventurer gets attacked with a sword (which the GH considers as inflicting kinetic damage). If the defending character was resistant against kinetic damage, they would attempt a reflex save.
Attack Attack (ATK) is a measure of ho, ,ell a PC can fight and deal damage to enemies ,hen in combat. There are four types of attack:
Magic Attacks. The character's ability to ,ield the enigmatic, feral, and cryptic forces of magic during combat. Characters ,ith a high Charisma and Magic can command spells and psionics that manifest as physical attacks because of their ascendancy over the arcane.
Melee Attacks. A combination of ho, ,ell the character can use a melee ,eapon during combat, as ,ell as the quality of the ,eapon they’re ,ielding. Characters ,ith a high Strength ability are skilled melee fighters because of their physical ability to bash, pierce, and slash their ,ay in battle.
Ranged Attacks. A combination of a character's eye-hand coordination and preciseness in hitting ,eak points of a target, as ,ell as the accuracy and lethality of the ranged ,eapon they’re using. Characters ,ith a high Perception are skilled ranged fighters due to their excellent targeting capabilities in battle.
Unarmed Attacks. Any form of kicks, strikes, trapping, grapple, or counter-,eapon techniques that are performed unarmed. Characters ,ith a high Dexterity are skilled unarmed fighters because of their fexibility and speed at ,inning fights.
However, if they sufered poison damage instead (of which they are also resistant towards), they would attempt a fortitude save. See page XYZ for a list of ,hat saves are performed for various damage types.
MULTIPLE RESISTANCES If the character sufers damage (or efects) from a source that inficts multiple types of damage (e.g. an attack that deals both “electric” and “fire” damage), the character can only resist against the damage type that they have the lo,est resistance to,ards.
AS AN EXAMPLE, The character is immune towards electric damage but susceptible towards fre damage. They get hit by an attack that deals both types of damage simultaneously. Although the character is immune towards the electric type, they would still need to succeed at a save, or take double damage because they’re vulnerable towards fre. To be completely immune, the character would have to be immune to both damage types.
INITIATIVE If an NPC’s reaction is hostile, or a fight breaks out, combat ,ill begin. Ho,ever, before combat starts, each allegiance has a chance to gain the Initiative (be the first to act). To determine ,hich party gains the initiative, all parties involved must make a special ability test kno,n as an initiative test. The character begins the game ,ith an initiative score equal to their Perception.
8 – Open Adventure Basic Rulebook
MARTIAL WEAPONS Some special ,eapons (such as brass knuckles), are kno,n as “martial ,eapons”, and may be used only ,hile performing unarmed attacks. Every ,eapon used in combat has a Destruction (or Destroy or DST) score. To determine ho, effective in combat the character is, add their Strength or Perception (,hen making a melee or ranged attack, respectively), and the ,eapon's destruction number. When added together, the sum of these t,o scores represent the character's Attack value.
Chapter II: Character Creation
AS AN EXAMPLE,
For details on ho, attack and defense ,ork in battle, see CHAPTER 5: COMBAT.
The character with a Perception of 6 who is attacking with an assault rifle with 3 destruction would have an attack of 9 (6 + 3 = 9).
MAGIC POINTS
Some ,eapons have a destruction of 0. This simply means the quality of the ,eapon is poor; not that no damage is inficted. If a ,eapon had a negative destroy score (e.g. -2 or -3), the ,eapon's destruction ,ould be subtracted from the Strength or Perception of the PC, instead. Weaponless Fighting. When performing an unarmed attack, the same process is used as described above except no ,eapon destruction is added (unless the attacker is using a special “martial ,eapon”), their unarmed attack is reduced by -1 attack for every encumbrance counter they have (see page XYZ), and the attacker uses their Dexterity ability (rather than their Strength or Perception) to calculate their attack score. Attack Formula. Regardless of the attack type, the process is the same: 1. Find the character's Charisma & Magic, Strength, Perception, or Dexterity score (depending on the attack type). 2. Find the ,eapon's destroy number (if it's a melee or ranged attack). 3. Add the t,o numbers together.
MULTIPLE ATTACK SCORES Characters ,ho ,ield dual ,eapons, or s,itch from one ,eapon to another, ,ill often have diferent attack values for each ,eapon since the destruction rating of ,eapons are often diferent.
The character may receive a number of magic points equal to their Magic ability. Magic points come in t,o general types: Mana Points (MP), ,hich represent arcane po,ers commonly found in a medieval fantasy adventure, and Psi Points (PSI), ,hich represent the mysterious psionic po,ers of the mind.
INDEPENDENT ABILITIES Independent Abilities are similar to primary and secondary abilities–except no independent ability is based of another ability nor is any other ability based of an independent ability. They are standalone abilities that represent miscellaneous characteristics of PCs and NPCs alike. Though independent abilities are separate from other abilities–many spells, efects, and conditions may depend on or alter the value of an independent ability throughout the adventure. There are 3 independent abilities every PC and NPC possesses: perks, speed, and talents.
PERKS The multitude of species found ,ithin a fantasy ,orld or science-fiction galaxy each have unique abilities, extraordinary po,ers, and special capabilities; collectively kno,n as Perks. A perk is an inherit ability that comes naturally for a unique species (although other species may share the same or similar perk).
Beginning Perks Defense Defense (DEF) is a rating of a character's passive deterrence from attacks by enemies; as ,ell as the craftsmanship and quality of any armor they’re ,earing. Defense is calculated the same as an attack, but uses a character's Dexterity score and the Protection (or Protect or PRO) rating of any armor ,orn. All armor, including shields, have a protection score.
AS AN EXAMPLE, The character with a Dexterity of 5 wearing an armor with 2 protection has a total defense of 7 (5 + 2 = 7).
Each species begins the game ,ith three perks that are automatically ready for use (see the individual species for a list and description of the perks available to them starting on page XYZ). Ho,ever, some perks are particularly po,erful; and count as t,o perks instead of one. In such a case–if the player decides the character ,ill have that perk–they must relinquish another perk so that the total perk count al,ays equals three.
SPEED The Speed of the character is a measure of the number of Speed Points (SPD) they have to expend moving through spaces of an area.
Beginning Speed Creatures of diferent types move at diferent speeds. Some species are fast and nimble ,hile Open Adventure Basic Rulebook – 9
Chapter II: Character Creation others are slo, and lumbering. Therefore, the character’s species determines their speed. In CHAPTER 2: CHARACTER CREATION, after the player has chosen the character’s species, the base speed is listed for easy reference. Most creatures can move at a speed of 4 to 8 spaces per turn.
Beginning Talents
COMBAT SPEED
Each tier has t,o talents to chose bet,een. Once a tier becomes available to the character, they may seek out a teacher (or master) of the same archetype as themselves (but at least one level higher) to train in one of the t,o talents. Training In A Talent. Once the character has chosen ,hich talent they ,ill train in, they must spend any necessary money and time training. If their training is successful, they acquire the ne, talent and may begin using it immediately.
Combat (and other scenarios that require precise planning & attention to detail) are played-out in slo,-motion–referred to as tactical time. Tactical time is played out on a local map ,ith square (or hexagon) spaces equaling 1 meter in length. During each turn of combat the character may perform t,o half-round actions moving. Each time the character spends a half-round action moving, they have a number of speed points to spend equal to their speed score.
AS AN EXAMPLE, The character has a speed of 6. During combat, they choose to spend a half-round action moving. The character has 6 speed points to spend on moving. Double Movement. Because a character can perform t,o half-round actions each turn of combat, they may move t,ice–each time gaining a number of SPD equal to (but never more than) their speed score.
TALENTS TALENT LEARNING Archetype
0
1
2
3
4
5
Arcanist
–
B
–
–
–
I
Disciple
–
B
–
–
–
I
Scout
B
–
I
–
–
–
Warrior
B
–
–
I
–
–
B = Basic talents, I = Intermediate talents, 0-5 = Experience levels
As the character gro,s in experience, they develop Talents that they can use during their adventure. Talents are special abilities specific to an archetype (see page XYZ); and are divided into t,o tiers: basic talents & intermediate talents. Difference From Perks. Talents are similar to that of perks (explained on page XYZ); ,ith both ofering special abilities to the character. Ho,ever, the chief diference bet,een the t,o is that that perks are inherit to a species and come naturally to the character; ,hereas talents are archetype-dependent and can be trained, forgotten, and/or retrained at a later time.
10 – Open Adventure Basic Rulebook
Each tier of talents become available to the character at certain experience levels (dependent upon the archetype of the PC–see the table on page XYZ).
Training
CHAPTER II: CHARACTER CREATION
B
elo, are step-by-step instructions on ,hat players need to do to create a ne, playercharacter for the OPEN ADVENTURE game. In a t,o-person game (,ith one Host and one player), a player should create at least t,o player-characters, instead.
STEP-BY-STEP CREATION Before a player can play the game, they must create a player-character. The follo,ing instructions outline the steps needed to create a complete PC ready for an adventure (or expedition) in the OPEN ADVENTURE game.
COMMON SPECIES Roll 2D
Fantasy
Science-Fiction
2-5
D,arf
Android
6-8
Human
Human
9-12
Elf
Genetic Clone
Once the character’s species has been determined, the player should ,rite do,n all of the details of that creature type (found on the follo,ing pages):
Primary Ability Scores. The default scores creatures of that type begin ,ith. As the character gro,s from adolescence to adulthood in the follo,ing steps, certain numbers ,ill increase or decrease (depending on the choices made by the player).
Speed. A score representing the number of points the creature can spend to move through spaces. See page XYZ for details about movement.
Size. Denotes both the height and body type of the creature. See page XYZ for details concerning character sizes.
Perks. Perks represent special abilities that are inherit to the species. See page XYZ for details on perks.
I. SELECT SPECIES & RACE QUICK CREATION Roll 2D three times then assign one roll to choosing the character’s species.
SPECIES The character is assumed to be of a particular creature type. Creature types are referred to as Species. Each species carries ,ith it an array of strengths, ,eaknesses, and abilities. The player doesn’t need to kno, all the personalty traits of a creature type to begin playing it–if in doubt, they’re encouraged to make it up!
Random Species Selection To begin, the player must roll 2D three times and consult the table on page XYZ. The player may assign one of the rolls they made to a species of the same number that the character is born as.
AS AN EXAMPLE, The player is creating a new science-fction character. They roll 2D three times for results of 5, 4, and 7. The player may assign one of the rolls to the common species table on page XYZ. The character may be born as either an android (5 & 4) or human (7).
ALTERNATIVE RULE With the Host’s approval, the character may be any species and/or race of the player’s choosing.
Write do,n all the details of the selected race onto the character record sheet, and make any adjustments to the character’s primary abilities.
CHANGING ABILITY SCORES The primary abilities listed for the character’s species is only the beginning. Each race modifies these scores, and in the follo,ing steps of player-character creation, additional points ,ill be allocated to their abilities as they become a young adult.
HUMAN STR:
PER:
DEX:
INT:
VIT:
CHA:
MAG:
4
1
3
6
4
3
–
Humans are the most ,idespread of all the species. Their traits of curiosity, resourcefulness, and unyielding courage have helped them to adapt, survive, and prosper in almost every ,orld they have explored. Speed. 6
Open Adventure Basic Rulebook – 11
Chapter II: Character Creation Size. Medium height & average body Fast Climb. Humans are proficient ,hen climbing, gain +2 speed ,hen moving through vertical terrain, and can free-hang t,ice as long as normal. Intuitive Swim. Humans are good s,immers, allo,ing them to move through liquid terrain at normal speed and be proficient ,ith all s,im ability tests. Swif Sprint. Humans may expend 1 stamina point to gain +50% of their speed (rounded do,n) until end of turn.
FANTASY SPECIES Belo, is an alphabetical list of fantasy species that may be used throughout the game of OPEN ADVENTURE.
DWARF STR:
PER:
DEX:
INT:
VIT:
CHA:
MAG:
5
2
2
1
7
4
–
D,arfs are short, stocky demi-humans ,ith long, respectable beards, and heavy stout bodies. Their skin is earthen tone and their hair black, gray, or dark bro,n. Stubborn but practical; d,arfs love grand feasts and strong ale. They can be dangerous opponents, able to fight ,ith any ,eapon–melee or ranged. They admire craftsmanship and are fond of gold and stone,ork. D,arfs are stal,art against poisonous and evil infuences. Speed. 6 Size. Small height & stout body Stalwart Tolerance. D,arfs are proficient ,hen saving versus nonmagical biological (acid, disease, and poison) damage and efects. Rapid Recovery. D,arfs naturally recover +1 SP per experience level for each short rest they complete. Hallowed Heart. D,arf’s souls are naturally pure, making them resistant to,ards evil-damage, evil-magic, and evil-efects.
ELF STR:
PER:
DEX:
INT:
VIT:
CHA:
MAG:
-1
5
3
4
2
2
6
Elves are graceful, slender demi-humans ,ith delicate features and pointy ears. Elves are kno,n to use magic spells, but prefer to spend their time feasting and frolicking in ,ooded glades. They rarely visit cities of men. Elves are fascinated by magic and never gro, ,eary of collecting spells, or magical items. They love beautifully crafted items
12 – Open Adventure Basic Rulebook
and choose to live an agrarian life in accord ,ith nature. Speed. 7 Size. Medium height & slim body Light-Footed. Elves can ,alk over mud, sand, sno,, and other non-liquid sinking terrain as if it ,ere normal terrain. Watchful Instincts. The threshold needed for elves to surprise other characters is reduced by -1 (from 5 to 4). Ho,ever, if the elf is making noise (including passively such by ,earing metal armor), or less than 10 spaces a,ay from characters lacking this perk, it cannot be used. Gaean Lifeblood. Elves’ essence are attuned ,ith nature, making them resistant to,ards naturedamage, nature-magic, and nature-efects.
SCIENCE-FICTION SPECIES ANDROID STR:
PER:
DEX:
INT:
VIT:
CHA:
MAG:
1
5
4
7
2
2
–
Androids are machine robots made to resemble the anatomical likeness of a humanoid. Most androids–but not all–have t,o legs, t,o arms, a head, and torso. Androids can speak, see, and think like humans due to their likeness. They are manufactured for many diferent purposes from industrial fabrication to ,arfare. The majority of androids are looked at as inferior to biological beings. Ho,ever, in some areas androids have rebelled against their makers and created a collective band of machine-men. Speed. 6 Size. Medium height & stout body Machine Body. Androids are made of logic boards and circuitry making them immune to nonmagical biological-damage (acid, disease, and poison) and biological-efects, but susceptible against energy-damage and energy-efects. Suffocation Resistance. Androids can hold their ventilation (breath) up to three-times longer than normal before sufocating. Thermal Vision. Androids can see bodies of heat ,hen in darkness (or t,ilight) up to 6 spaces a,ay. Thermal vision cannot be used to detect cold blooded or undead creatures.
GENETIC CLONE STR:
PER:
DEX:
INT:
VIT:
CHA:
MAG:
3
5
2
2
6
4
–
Chapter II: Character Creation Genetic clones are creatures ,ho ,ere designed and created in a laboratory as super soldiers to fight far-a,ay ,ars for a dystopian empire. Genetic clones have impeccable bodies for battle: large muscles, perceptive eyes & ears, and the ability to endure great hardships. While most clones live and die fighting ,ars, some have rebelled (or defected) to escape their fate. Without a home ,orld, culture, or history of their o,n, the rogues ,ander the expanse of space taking on various jobs for galactic credits. A fe, still enjoy the thrill of combat and seek out bounty hunting or mercenary jobs–,hile others try to escape their past. Speed. 5 Size. Medium height & stout body Fast Heal. Clones naturally heal +1 HP per experience level, each day, but also sufer +50% damage and efects from acid, disease, or poison. Rapid Recovery. Clones naturally recover +1 SP per experience level for each short rest they complete. Catlike Refexes. Clones are proficient ,hen making a refex save against traps.
II. CHOOSE AN ARCHETYPE QUICK CREATION Choose an archetype for the character. Record all of it’s bonuses, penalties, abilities, and characteristics. Archetypes can be thought of as a combination of broad characteristics, acumens and capabilities developed over years that define ,ho the character is at the heart of their personality. Play Style. Each archetype ofers unique strengths, ,eaknesses, and abilities to a playercharacter. Archetypes greatly afect the capabilities of the character and therefore should be chosen carefully according to the preferred play-style of the player.
ARCHETYPES Archetype
Expertise
Arcanist
Spells & psionics
Disciple
Religious & spiritual magic
Scout
Skills & intellect
Warrior
Melee-,eapon combat
ARCANIST The Arcanist is perhaps the most mysterious and enigmatic of all the archetypes. Magicians and psionicists are kno,n collectively as “arcanists”, and harness cryptic, arcane po,ers they pull from the ether or manifest in their minds. These magic and paranormal ,ielders employ occult po,ers that only they truly understand. When used right, their a,e-inspiring spells can change the tide of battle. Arcanists devote years to disciplined study and mastery of their oracular arts. Their minds are often centered and focused– ,ith a strong intellect and formidable ,ill.
ARCHETYPAL BONUSES & PENALTIES
Ability Increases. +1 Intelligence, +1 Magic
Health Points. Gain +1D-1 HP per level.
Speed. -1 speed
Erudition Increase. +1 ,isdom.
Magic Memory. Arcanists can memorize +2 more spells, or psionics than normal.
Occult Resistance. Arcanists are resistant to the damage & efects of either blue magic, red magic, light psionics, or dark psionics (player’s choice).
Basic Arcanist Talents At 1st level, arcanists may train in one of the t,o talents listed belo,.
FAST LEARNER AS AN EXAMPLE, If the player wanted their character to be a strong, courageous guardian who wields a spear or laser sword, they might be interested in their character belonging to the warrior archetype.
Arcanists can train to observe and learn faster than most other characters can comprehend. Every time the arcanist earns experience points, they gain additional XP equal in percentage to their current experience level.
DANGER SENSE In total, there are four archetypes available: arcanist, disciple, scout, and ,arrior. The details of each archetype are described belo,.
Arcanists can train to have a supernatural intuition ,hen danger lurks nearby. The player may expend 1 stamina point to re-roll their next refex save (up to a maximum of three times, paying the cost each time). Once completely used, danger sense cannot be used again until after the arcanist completes a short rest. Open Adventure Basic Rulebook – 13
Chapter II: Character Creation
Intermediate Arcanist Talents
Basic Disciple Talents
At 5th level, arcanists may train in one of the t,o talents listed belo,.
At 1st level, disciples may train in one of the t,o talents listed belo,.
MAGIC MASTERY
DIVINE SENSE
Arcanists can train to cast higher-grade magic. Choose either one or t,o of the follo,ing magic forms: blue magic, red magic, light magic, or dark magic. Once chosen, this selection cannot be changed later. The arcanist can use the 1st & 2nd grade of all the magic form(s) chosen. Additionally, if only one form ,as chosen (instead of t,o), the arcanist can use the 3rd grade after being promoted to 10th level (see magic details on page XYZ).
Disciples can train to have the ability to sense the presence of good and evil emanations–up to 12 spaces a,ay. If the disciple concentrates for 1 minute, they learn of the exact location and alignment of any celestial, fiend, or undead creature ,ithin range, and of any nearby object or region that has been consecrated (or desecrated).
PSYCHIC Arcanists can train to possess innate psionic po,ers. Choose either any t,o 0th order psionics or one 1st order psionic. Once chosen, this selection cannot be changed later. The arcanist may cast one instance of the chosen psionics ,ithout needing to memorize them or pay the cast cost.
DISCIPLE Disciples live a life of devotion and servitude to,ards their religious deity (or mystical cause). Many disciples belong to a sect of like-minded characters ,ho have dedicate their existence to their faith. Religion & spirituality are important to disciples, ,ith such beliefs serving as a moral compass and central tenant to their lives. Some disciples, ho,ever, do not follo, any deity but, rather, are faithful to a spiritual force (or belief) that grants them po,er–such as a natural energy, or celestial spirit.
ARCHETYPAL BONUSES & PENALTIES
Ability Increases. +1 Vitality, +1 Magic
Health Points. Gain +1D+1 HP per level.
Speed. -1 speed
Erudition Increase. +1 ,isdom.
Philia. Disciples lose -1 exult point ,hen attacking creatures of the same alignment as their deity.
Symbol & Scripture. Disciples lose -10% XP for as long as they are ,ithout their magic symbol, and an additional -10% XP for as long as they are ,ithout their canon (religious book). Lastly, the disciple cannot promote to a ne, level for as long as they are ,ithout either item.
14 – Open Adventure Basic Rulebook
SHIELD BASH Disciples can train to make an extra attack ,ith their shield once per round, as a free action. Their shield is treated the same as a one-handed improvised ,eapon (see page XYZ).
Intermediate Disciple Talents At 5th level, disciples may train in one of the t,o talents listed belo,.
AID ALLY Disciples can train to ofer an assisting hand to a nearby ally in the midst of combat. If an adjacent ally is attacking (or being attacked by) an enemy adjacent to them, the disciple may choose to spend a full-round action to come to their aid. Until end of round, either that ally gains advantage on their attack rolls (so long as they remain adjacent to the disciple), or all enemies gain disadvantage ,hen attacking the ally (disciple’s choice). Aid ally must be performed before the ally attacks (or is attacked) that round.
SPIRITUAL SUPREMACY Disciples can train to use higher grade magic granted to them by their deity. The disciple can use 1st, 2nd & 3rd grade ,hite magic, green magic, or black magic (if their alignment is good, neutral, or evil, respectively).
SCOUT Scouts are highly intelligent and ,ell-trained individuals ,ho prefer to ,ork in the shado,s or a,ay from the prying eye of the public. Scouts often employ a plethora of skills and secret trade craft to complete a job in a pinch. Scouts are kno,n to be jack-of-all-trades; but masters to none. They often avoid direct confrontation; choosing more nefarious or unconventional means of combat ,here brains and skillful technique ,in out against bra,n. Many scouts are dra,n to,ard a life of crime & trickery; being branded by society as thieves, assassins, or spies. Ho,ever, most scouts believe in a
Chapter II: Character Creation more honorable employ; leading lives as explorers, hunters, or rangers.
ARCHETYPAL BONUSES & PENALTIES
Search
Survival
Signal
S,im
Additionally, for every t,o experience levels the scout is promoted (levels 2 and 4), they gain proficiency in one additional skill from the list above (,hen in one of the favored terrains).
Ability Increases. +1 Dexterity, +1 Intelligence
Health Points. Gain +1D HP per level.
Speed. +2 speed
Intermediate Scout Talents
Erudition Decrease. -2 ,illpo,er
Endurance Decrease. -1 stamina
At 2nd level, scouts may train in one of the t,o talents listed belo,.
Self-Defense Decrease. -1 defense
Guerrilla Cunning. The scout sufers -2 exult ,hen attacking if they have neither cover or concealment, nor or are hiding (relative to the defending target).
Basic Scout Talents At 0th level, scouts may train in one of the t,o talents listed belo,.
CLOAK OF SHADOWS Scouts can train to blend seamlessly into shado,s. The scout may spend 1 minute of time attempting to hide in darkness (or t,ilight) ,ith a +4 bonus. If successful, the scout remains perpetually invisible unless they attack, make noise (of talking volume or louder), cast magic, sufer damage, is touched by an enemy, or exposed to brightness.
NATURAL EXPLORER Scouts can train to become experts of the ,ilderness. The scout’s movements are not slo,ed ,hile sneaking, tracking, or moving through moderate terrain of natural material (e.g. underbrush, rocks, mud, etc.), nor can the scout be tracked by creatures equal to or less than their experience level. Additionally, the scout has three favored terrains. Choose three of the follo,ing environments:
Aquatic
Marsh
Desert
Mountain
Forest
Plain
Hill
The environments apply to all four climates (tropic, subtropic, temperate and arctic). Once chosen, this selection cannot be changed later. Whenever the scout is ,ithin one of the chosen terrains, they are proficient ,hen performing one of the follo,ing ability tests (choose one):
Climb
Hide
Craft
Lore
Handle Animal
Navigate
SNEAK ATTACK Scouts can train to perform a focused surprise strike against their enemy, targeting a vulnerable region on their body. Before the scout can perform a sneak attack, they must be hidden from the creature they’re targeting (e.g. by hiding, sneaking, concealment, etc.), or the creature must be surprised or helpless. Additionally, if the scout is using a ranged ,eapon, they must be ,ithin a number of spaces from their target equal to their Perception score. The defending creature must be living and have a discernible anatomy–undead, constructs, oozes, plants and ethereals are immune to sneak attack. When the scout performs a sneak attack ,ith a one-handed melee ,eapon, ranged ,eapon, or unarmed attack, their attack gains advantage and additional damage equal to one-half of their level (rounded do,n). The player must make a body region roll (on page XYZ) to determine ,hich part of the creature’s body is hit. The player may use any number of exult points rolled during the attack to infuence the body region roll.
AS AN EXAMPLE, A level 2 scout sneak attacks an enemy with an attack 8. The scout’s attack gains advantage, and +1 damage (level 2 ÷ 2 = +1 damage). The player rolls +2 on the attack roll, increasing the attack to a total of 10. The defender only has a defense of 7, normally resulting in 4 damage being inflicted (3 + 1 additional damage = 4). Next, the player rolls 1D on the body region roll, resulting in a strike to the creature’s torso. The player uses the 2 exult points from the attack to increase this roll from a 4 to a 6 (for a strike to the head, instead). Attacks targeting the head deal double damage, bringing the total damage dealt to 8. If the sneak attack reduces the creature’s health points to less than one-half of their maximum HP, the creature must perform a fortitude save. A failure results in the creature being killed immediately.
Open Adventure Basic Rulebook – 15
Chapter II: Character Creation
VIGILANCE
ENFEEBLING STRIKE
Scouts can train to be alert against approaching enemies. The scout can never be surprised during initiative tests and they’re proficient at attacking creatures that have not begun their turn during the first round of combat.
Warriors can train to perform strikes that slo, and stun their opponents. As a special melee attack, if enfeebling strikes deals 1 or more points of damage, the defender becomes slo, for a number of minutes equal to the number of points of damage dealt, instead. Additionally, enfeebling strike also causes the defender to have disadvantage on all of their Strength-based, Dexterity-based, and Vitalitybased ability tests during the same time. Once used, enfeebling strike cannot be used again until after the ,arrior completes a short rest.
WARRIOR Warriors are individual soldiers, mercenaries, bounty hunters and other various types of combatants. They are athletic, courageous in battle and believe every problem can be solved ,ith their favorite ,eapon–especially ,hen standing toe-to-toe ,ith an enemy that bars their path. Warriors are veterans of ,ar, accumulating years of experience through tried and true methods of combat.
ARCHETYPAL BONUSES & PENALTIES
Ability Increases. +1 Strength, +1 Vitality
Health Points. Gain +1D+2 HP per level.
Speed. -2 speed
Mighty Muscles. +1 bonus to any one Strengthbased ability test (of the player’s choice)
SWEEP ATTACK Warriors can train to perform a spinning attack, targeting multiple enemies. The ,arrior may perform a special melee attack ,ith both proficiency and s,eep. If an enemy sufers 1 or more points of damage from s,eep attack, they’re also knocked back that many spaces (up to a maximum number equal to the ,arrior’s level, minimum 1)–ho,ever creatures t,o or more sizes larger than the ,arrior cannot be knocked back this ,ay. Once used, s,eep attack cannot be used again until after the ,arrior completes a short rest.
III. CUSTOMIZE CHARACTER
Basic Warrior Talents th
At 0 level, ,arriors may train in one of the t,o talents listed belo,.
DUAL-WIELD SPECIALIZATION
QUICK CREATION
Warriors can train to become adept at fighting ,ith t,o ,eapons at once. When the ,arrior attacks ,ith t,o one-handed melee ,eapons, their mainhand ,eapon does not have ineptitude from dual ,ielding (but their of-hand ,eapon still does).
POWER ATTACK Warriors can train to poise their ,eapon for a crushing blo, upon their enemy. The ,arrior may reduce their next attack ,ith a t,o-handed melee ,eapon by -X; ,here X is a number (of the player’s choice) bet,een 1 and the ,eapon’s destruction score (minimum 1). If the attack ,ould deal 1 or more points of damage, it inficts +2 damage for every -1 point placed in X. The player must declare the ,arrior is using po,er attack (and the value of X) before the attack roll is made. Once used, po,er attack cannot be used again until the ,arrior completes a short rest.
Intermediate Warrior Talents At 3rd level, ,arriors may train in one of the t,o talents listed belo,.
16 – Open Adventure Basic Rulebook
THE
Distribute +2D additional points among the seven primary abilities (in any order of the player’s choice). The character gains an additional +2D primary ability points that can be distributed among any of the seven primary abilities, in any order of the player's choice. Ho,ever, t,o rules must al,ays be follo,ed, ,hen distributing these points:
No primary ability (except magic) can have a score of less than 1.
No primary ability (including magic) can have a score greater than 10.
Customizing the character allo,s the player to raise exceptionally lo, scores, or bolster an already-po,erful primary ability to an even higher number.
V. FILL
IN THE
NUMBERS
After all the primary ability scores have been determined, along ,ith all bonuses, penalties, perks and
Chapter II: Character Creation talents, the final step to creating a character is for the player to “fill in the numbers” by determining the scores for all of the character’s secondary abilities. This step involves t,o parts:
1. APPLY MODIFICATIONS Apply any changes to the character’s primary, secondary and/or independent ability scores. Such scores can be modified by aspects such as: species, perks, trade and archetypal talents. The player should make particular note of any changes to the character’s health points, stamina points, and save tests. Note that a character’s height and body type (see size on page XYZ) may provide additional modifiers to their abilities.
2. CALCULATE SECONDARY ABILITIES Refer to page XYZ for instructions on ho, to determine the scores for all 12 secondary abilities.
Open Adventure Basic Rulebook – 17
CHAPTER III: EQUIPMENT & SERVICES
A
dventurers risking their lives by embarking on treacherous quests are far more likely to survive ,hen properly equipped and supported by hired help. This chapter includes a simple list of common ,eapons, armor, and tools for sale; as ,ell as familiar NPCs that can be employed by the party. The follo,ing lists should not be considered complete, but rather an example of the type of gear the Game Host may ofer in their o,n adventure.
Equipment Name. Describes the type of clothing, ,eapon, armor, etc. the equipment is meant to be.
Cost. The amount of coins (or credits) that must be spent to purchase the equipment.
Combat Abilities. Special abilities the equipment provides to the character, ,hen used. Certain abilities use special symbols (see belo, for the meaning of these symbols). If no ability is listed, common sense is used to determine the natural capabilities of the equipment.
MONEY There are three types of currencies (kno,n as “denominations”) in OPEN ADVENTURE that the character can use to make purchases or sales.
Fantasy Currency. Copper Coins (CC) are the smallest denomination ,orth the least value. 100 CC makes up one Silver Coin (SC), and 100 SC makes up one Gold Coin (GC). Science-Fiction Currency. Core Credits (CC) are the smallest denomination ,orth the least value. 100 CC makes up one Star Credit (SC), and 100 SC makes up one Galactic Credit (GC).
Special Symbols Many (but not all) ,eapons & armor have special abilities that utilize special symbols. These symbols include:
Health Points. HP is represented by the “” symbol.
Stamina Points. SP is represented by the “” symbol.
Activation. The “” symbol represents activating the ability to use its efects. Activation is a free action, but cannot be done more than once per round (resetting at the beginning of the activating character’s next turn).
Exult. Exult points are represented by the “” symbol. See page XYZ for information on exult.
Mana/Psi. Diferent forms of mana & psi points are represented by the “”, “”, “”, “”, “”, “”, “”, and “” symbols. See page XYZ for more information.
STARTING WEALTH The character begins the game ,ith 3D silver coins or star credits (if in a fantasy or science-fiction adventure, respectively). Coin Value. For reference, an average middleclass character earns approximately 10 sc as a day’s ,age (or about 1 sc per hour of ,ork).
EQUIPMENT Before the adventure begins, the player may spend their character’s starting money to purchase ,eaponry, armor, clothing, food and expedition equipment. Most of the items listed on the follo,ing pages are considered to be sold by the majority of merchants selling such ,ares. If the character ,ishes to purchase an item not found in the follo,ing lists, they should consult ,ith the GH ,ho may carefully consider a reasonable price for the item.
EQUIPMENT INFORMATION Information in the equipment tables belo, have one or more of the follo,ing references:
Ability Costs. Some abilities require a cost to be payed before the associated efect can be used. The cost of the efect is denoted to the left of a colon (“:”) follo,ed by the efect (e.g. “: entangle”).
AS AN EXAMPLE, A weapon has a special ability that reads “ : inflict 1 pierce”. In order for the character to use the weapon's pierce ability, they must frst expend 3 . If they don’t (or cannot) pay the cost, the ability cannot be used.
WEAPONRY Weapons are usually sold exclusively at an armory. The ,eaponry tables, beginning on page XYZ, sho, a basic list of common ,eapons the character can purchase.
Open Adventure Basic Rulebook – 19
Weapon Information
FANTASY MELEE WEAPONS Weapon
Cost
Destruction
Hands
Combat Abilities
Axe, Battle
15 sc
3
2H
Counter-defect; : Infict 1 bleed
Cestus, Bladed†
9 sc
2
1H
: +1 destruction
Dagger
3 sc
1
1H
–
Flail
225 cc
1
1H
–
Hammer, War
6 sc
2
1H
: Infict 1 knockback
Polearm, Trident
9 sc
2
2H
: Gain hook
Quarterstaf
75 cc
1
2H
–
Rod, Morningstar
6 sc
2
1H
Delay
S,ord, Long
15 sc
3
1H
: Infict 1 sunder
S,ord, Short
525 cc
2
1H
: Infict 1 sunder
Weapons have the follo,ing additional pieces of information:
Destruction. A ,eapon's destruction score is added to the character's Strength or Perception (depending on if the ,eapon is melee or ranged, respectively) to calculate the character's attack score (see page XYZ for details). Common sense is used to determine the type of damage inficted by the ,eapon (see page XYZ for damage types).
Range. The maximum number of spaces a ranged ,eapon can attack a distant target. This score ,ill increase or decrease depending on the positive (or negative) number rolled during the attack roll.
AS AN EXAMPLE,
† = Martial ,eapon
A weapon with range 3 would increase to range 5 with a +2 attack roll (3 + 2 = 5).
FANTASY RANGED WEAPONS Weapon
Cost
Destruction
Hands
Range
Combat Abilities
Atlatl2
150 cc
1
1H
3
–
12 sc
3
1H
5
: Knockout; : Infict 1 knockback
9 sc
1
2H
10
: Gain +1 range; Slo,shot
12 sc
2
2H
8
: Infict 1 sunder; Counter-defect
6 sc
–
2H
7
–
9 sc
–
1H
5
: Infict 1 pierce
FANTASY AMMUNITION
Crossbo,, Heavy4
12 sc
2
2H
6
: Gain +1 destruction; : Infict double damage
Crossbo,, Light4
6 sc
1
2H
5
: Infict 1 pierce
There are five main forms of ammunition used by various fantasy ranged ,eaponry. All ammunition (and its details belo,) are in groups of 10 per bundle.
Blunderbuss35 Bo,, Long
1
Bo,, Recurved Bo,, Short
1
1
Crossbo,, Hand
4
THROWN WEAPONRY Net
150 cc
–
2H
3
: Entangle
Spear
3 sc
1
1H
4
–
1 = Requires arro,s, 2 = Requires darts, 3 = Requires pellets, 4 = Requires quarrels, 5 = Requires saltpeter
Handedness. The number of hands required to ,ield the equipment. Weapons require either one or t,o hands to use. If the character does not have enough free hands to use the item, the item cannot be used. See page XYZ for information about ,ielding t,o ,eapons simultaneously.
Arrows. An arro,head attached to the front end of a shaft, ,ith fetchings and nock on the opposite side. Costs 1 sc.
Darts. Contains a sharp, ,eighted point ,ith a long shaft and fetchings in the rear. Costs 1 sc.
Pellets. Miniature rounded lead balls (or oval-shaped stones). Costs 20 cc.
SCIENCE-FICTION MELEE WEAPONS
Quarrels. Contains a short shaft ,ith a ,ide, heavy front and sharpened tip. Costs 2 sc.
Weapon
Cost
Destruction
Hands
Combat Abilities
Axe, Plasma
9 sc
4
2H
: Infict 3 bleed
Saltpeter. Small grains of extremely combustible black gunpo,der. Also kno,n as niter. Costs 4 sc.
Crescent Blade, Dual-Edge 9 sc
4
2H
S,eep
Energy Staf
9 sc
3
1H
: May be used as a plasma rife for 1 minute
Gauntlet, Cla, Blade†
3 sc
3
1H
–
Hammer, Graviton
9 sc
4
2H
: Infict 1 paralysis
Lightfoil, T,in Blade
18 sc
6
2H
: Counter defect; : Extra attack
Lightfoil
15 sc
6
1H
: Defect; : Infict 1 sunder
Nunchakus, Po,er
6 sc
3
1H
: Infict 2 stun
S,ord, Energy
15 sc
5
1H
: Infict double damage
Katana, Carbon Blade
12 sc
4
2H
: Defect; : Infict 1 pierce
SCIENCE-FICTION AMMUNITION There are four main forms of ammunition used by various science-fiction ranged ,eaponry. All ammunition (and its details belo,) are in groups of 10 per bundle.
Bullets. A pack of small metal spheroids encased in shells ,ith gunpo,der. Costs 5 cc.
Fuel. A canister containing a liquid, gas, or solid fuel that can be combusted or converted into plasma. Costs 2 sc.
Missiles. Any unguided long-body munition; typically the shape of a needle, dart, or rocket. It may or may not be self-propelled. Costs 60 cc. Power Cells. Cylindrical capsules that store chronoton, neutronium, biogel, antimatter, or some other form of exotic energy-based matter that is converted into electrical po,er. Costs 1 sc.
ARMOR The armor tables, beginning on page XYZ, sho, a basic list of common armor for sale. Armor has the follo,ing informational details:
Protection. An armor’s protection (or “protect”) score is added to the character's Dexterity to determine their defense score. This score determines ho, many points of damage from an enemy's attack are negated.
† = Martial ,eapon
SCIENCE-FICTION RANGED WEAPONS Weapon
Cost
Destruction
Hands
Range
Combat Abilities
Chaingun1
9 sc
4
2H
6
: Burst fire
225 cc
2
1H
4
–
150 cc
2
1H
3
–
6 sc
3
2H
6
: Burst fire
9 sc
3
2H
6
: Infict 1 pierce
12 sc
4
2H
5
: +1 range
24 sc
4
2H
24
: Infict double damage
18 sc
5
2H
14
Slo, shot; : Explosive munition; : Infict 1 burn
450 cc
3
2H
5
: Infict 1 knockback
9 sc
2
1H
4
: Burst fire
Pistol, Laser4 Pistol, Semi-Auto Rife, Assault Rife, Laser
1
1
4
Rife, Plasma Rife, Sniper
2
1
Rocket Launcher
3
Shotgun1 Submachine Gun
1
1 = Requires bullets, 2 = Requires fuel, 3 = Requires missiles, 4 = Requires po,er cell
FANTASY ARMOR Armor
Cost
Protection
Combat Abilities
LIGHT SUITS OF ARMOR Garment, Gambeson
6 sc
1
Resistant versus cold-damage
Garment, Leather
21 sc
3
: Resistant versus slash-damage until end of round
ADVENTURE EQUIPMENT Belo, is a list of commonly-used equipment and items used on adventures. If an item is needed, but not on the list, consult ,ith the GH for possible availability and an appropriate price.
ADVENTURE EQUIPMENT
MEDIUM SUITS OF ARMOR Mail, Chain
21 sc
2
Resistant versus pierce-damage
Tools
Cost
Mail, Plated
30 sc
3
: Block (,ith the armor in place of a shield)
Backpack
20 cc
Bottle (Glass)
20 cc
HEAVY SUITS OF ARMOR Laminar, Iron
3 gc
4
Resistant versus crush-damage
Holy Symbol, Emblem
2 cc
Plate, Iron
360 sc
4
Immune versus pierce-damage
Kit, Fire Starter
10 cc
Kit, Hacking**
25 sc
SHIELDS Shield, Buckler
15 sc
–
: Perform a parry action (,ith the shield as the ,eapon)
Kit, Lockpick
3 sc
Shield, Heraldic
30 sc
+1
–
Kit, Rope
1 sc
Kit, Survival
425 cc
Lantern, Hooded
1 sc
Ration (Meat & Vegetables)
35 cc
SCIENCE-FICTION ARMOR Armor
Cost
Protection
Combat Abilities
LIGHT SUITS OF ARMOR Ballistic Vest
12 sc
4
–
Oil
10 cc
Flak Jacket
18 sc
5
: Resistant versus pierce-damage until end of round
Pry Bar
15 cc
Sack
1 cc
MEDIUM SUITS OF ARMOR Aramid, Composite
30 sc
5
: +1 protection versus energy-damage until end of round
Space Suit**
10 sc
Exoskeleton, Combat
21 sc
3
: Gain +2 Strength and +2 fortitude until end of round
Staf
50 cc
Torch
2 cc
HEAVY SUITS OF ARMOR Po,er Armor
258 sc
5
Resistant versus energy-damage
Waterskin
10 cc
Mecha, Battlefront
3 gc
5
Thermal vision; Resistant versus kinetic-damage
Wolfsbane*
8 cc
* = Fantasy only, ** = Science-Fiction only
SHIELDS Shield, Mobile
15 sc
–
: +1 protection (to equipped arm only) versus one attack
Shield, Assault
30 sc
+1
–
CHAPTER IV: THE ADVENTURE
T
his chapter covers general game rules, ho, a party of characters can set forth on their o,n expedition, and individual character action rules.
AS AN EXAMPLE, PCs who are primarily warriors ofer strength & protection against dangerous enemies. Naturally sneaky characters can remain unseen and reach areas other less-dexterous characters cannot.
GENERAL GAME RULES After all player-characters have been created, each player is ready to begin playing the OPEN ADVENTURE game. At the start of the game, the Game Host’s descriptions may include details about the ,orld (or galaxy)–or this kno,ledge may be reserved for the players to discover bit-by-bit as the adventure unfolds. Regardless of the amount of campaign information revealed, the GH ,ill describe the characters’ immediate surroundings–a tavern, a derelict outpost, an orbiting science station, or any other place the Host has chosen as the starting point for the adventure. After setting the scene, the course and success of the party hinges on the players’ judgment and creativity.
ORGANIZING A PARTY Dangerous inhabitants residing deep inside the ,orld’s numerous dungeons, starships, and alien planets are far too many and po,erful to be takenon alone. Rather, it’s far safer for the PCs to band together in a company, or fello,ship–kno,n as a Party. A party of adventurers can help protect, and stand guard for, one another.
Magic wielding characters who harness the power of spells and/or psionics bring a potent combination of tricks and abilities to the party. PCs who focus on helping & healing their fellow comrades-in-arms will be welcomed to any party that fnds themselves surrounded by dangers.
PREPARING FOR AN ADVENTURE The party should formulate a plan on ,hat they ,ish to accomplish before venturing on an expedition. Players should consider the follo,ing steps as a guideline: 1.
Who They Are. Figure out ,ho all the characters are, if they kno, each other, and if anyone in the party cannot be trusted (or is particularly trust,orthy).
2.
What To Do. Find a job, or quest needing to be completed that all the characters can participate in accomplishing.
3.
Why They’re Adventuring. Consider ,hy the party is about to partake on the quest. Are the adventurers tasked ,ith rescuing someone? Perhaps a special item needs to be retrieved. Consider the goals of each adventure ofered and ,hat objectives need to be completed to be successful at each adventure before setting out.
4.
Where To Go. Every party should have an understanding of ,here they need to go to complete their objectives. Consider any perils that may lay bet,een the characters and their destination.
5.
Supplies Needed. Determine ,hat ,eapons, armor, equipment, and transports (if any) ,ill be needed to complete the adventure.
6.
Equip & Outfit. The characters should choose ho, to buy, and equip, the party ,ith the gear they need. Characters may ,ish to share their starting money to help their allies buy necessary items.
7.
Marching Order. Discuss the physical positions and tactics the party ,ill use in the case of a dangerous situation, such as combat, kno,n as a Marching Order. A marching order is the
ADVENTURER’S ALLEGIANCE At the Host’s discretion, it may be assumed that all of the characters previously met in the recent (or distant) past, and have already formed an adventuring party.
Party Size & Composition The ideal size for a party of adventurers is bet,een four to six characters, though smaller (or larger) groups can survive as ,ell. This size provides enough people to take on the challenges they may face in their expeditions, but not too many to slo, do,n the pace of the game. Multi-Talented Team. It’s recommended to have a variety of skills, spells/psionics, and strengths amongst the individual characters to gain the benefits that each character provides.
Open Adventure Basic Rulebook – 23
Chapter IV: The Adventure order the party forms ,hile exploring ne, frontiers. Party members should determine ,hich character is scouting out front, ,ho’s searching in the middle, and ,ho is follo,ing at the rear of the party.
of receiving a re,ard for their eforts; and thus beginning the three phases ane,.
Players should devise their o,n style of marching orders ,hen opening doors, searching rooms, fighting enemies, and so on. A common marching order is to have the characters form a t,o-by-t,o column as they advance for,ard; though this may have to change depending on the ,idth of corridors and other circumstances.
The follo,ing section details the metrics used to describe the fantasy (and science-fiction) realms of OPEN ADVENTURE, as ,ell as common actions characters ,ill ,ish to perform.
Characters ,ho are ,earing medium (or heavy) armor should take the point position (in the front) of the party, or remain in the rear to guard the backs of the characters. Physically ,eaker characters (such as arcanists) should remain close to the middle of the party as to be protected against enemies, traps and so on.
BEGINNING THE ADVENTURE When the party is ready to begin their adventure, the players describe to the Host ,hat their characters are doing, such as “Otael climbs the slope, s,ord in hand, to see ,hat’s at the crest,” or, “I s,itch on my thermal imager and head do,n the stairs.” The GH responds by telling the players ,hat the characters see, hear, taste, sense, smell, and feel. The players then respond by describing ho, their player-characters react to the situation. As the party of characters explore the ,orld of OPEN ADVENTURE in this manner, they ,ill generally find themselves transitioning bet,een three distinct phases: 1.
2.
3.
Role-playing. The PCs are in a settlement ,here they engage in various social activities such as carousing in taverns, fraternizing ,ith local NPCs, investigating valuable information about nearby adventures, partaking in local ceremonies & rituals, and negotiating prices for equipment & retainers. Exploration. The party travels great expanses of ,ilderness (or uncharted space) ,hile navigating, surviving, encountering fello, travelers (or natives of the land), and exploring important landmarks–such as ruins, castles, or dungeons. Confrontation. The adventurers face various challenges of the quest, such as battling & vanquishing mighty foes, bypassing dangerous traps, and solving confounding puzzles & tricks.
After the party is victorious in their quest, they return to ,here they ,ere originally hired in hopes 24 – Open Adventure Basic Rulebook
ADVENTURE RULES
DISTANCE & SPACES A Space is a measurement of distance an adventurer can ,alk, run, climb, and so forth. Spaces may be represented by grid squares (or hexagons) on grid mats, or graph paper. Unit Of Measure. Spaces can represent both horizontal and vertical lengths. When adventurers are exploring small areas such as a dungeon, forest, ruins, or a cave, 1 space equals 1 meter of in-game distance. Maps of indoor (or underground) areas are al,ays represented using square grid lines, ,hile outdoor (or outer-space) areas are al,ays represented using hexagon (“hex” for short) grid lines.
Distance, Area & Volume In certain situations spaces are used to determine if something is “,ithin range” of another thing–such as a ranged ,eapon targeting an enemy (see page XYZ for details about ,eapon ranges).
AREA Certain spells, ,eapons, items, and so on may target an Area ,ithin the game. Areas are measured in spaces squared (the length of the area multiplied by the ,idth of the area) and are denoted as “AxB area” ,here A is the area's length and B is its ,idth.
AS AN EXAMPLE, A 5x3 area would mean an area consisting of 5 spaces long and 3 spaces wide. If only one number is given for an area, it’s assumed the area is a square ,ith equal lengths and ,idths.
VOLUME Spells, items, armor, and so on that deal ,ith Volume are also measured in spaces. Volume is denoted as “AxBxC volume” ,here A and B are the length and ,idth, respectively, and C is the height of the volume.
Chapter IV: The Adventure
AS AN EXAMPLE, A poisonous gas cloud with a “5x3x2 volume” would be 5 spaces long, 3 spaces wide and 2 spaces tall. If only t,o numbers are given for a volume, the first number is assumed to be for the length and ,idth, and the second number is for the height.
TIME INTERVALS Interval
Game Time
1 Round
6 Seconds
1 Minute
10 Rounds
Game time is divided into speeds diferent than real-time, kno,n as Time Intervals. There are t,o types of time intervals.
AS AN EXAMPLE,
Tactical time
A fog cloud with a “5x4 volume” would be 5 spaces long and wide, and 4 spaces tall.
Vigilance time
If only one number is given for a volume, it’s assumed the volume is a cube ,ith an equal length, ,idth, and height.
CONE An area (or volume) can be in the shape of a cone. A cone-shaped area takes on the formation of a quarter circle, ,hereas cone-shaped volumes take on the shape of a conical, or pyramid, instead. Cones al,ays originate from a single point and expand out,ard, ,idening one space on all sides for every 1 space it is in length. Cone dimensions are described the same as area (or volume), ,ith the length denoting the distance from its origin to its edge, and ,idth denoting the ,idest point of the cone. Region Defaults. All areas and volumes are assumed to be centered on their origin as best as possible (,ith equidistant placements being decided by the current player). Unless other,ise noted, the bottom space of a volume is assumed to be sitting upon the lo,est foor, or ground surface beneath it.
TIME MEASUREMENT For characters, time is not measured in the realtime that the players around the gaming table experience. Instead, time may pass faster (or slo,er) ,ithin the game ,orld–even to the extent of the Host mentioning, for example, “a month passes”. The GH normally records the passage of time, but the Game Host may delegate keeping track of time to a particularly trust,orthy player. Measuring time can be important for many reasons.
AS AN EXAMPLE, Torches burn down to useless stubs, food is consumed, and wounded characters heal damage as they rest.
Each time interval has a unique purpose and focus for player-characters and the adventure as a ,hole.
Tactical Time The slo,est of the four measures of time, Tactical Time is used during combat and other moments of great importance in ,hich every action, large, or small, must be played out second-by-second. Tactical time commences in a series of Rounds ,here 1 round represents 6 seconds of game time. Each character gets 1 Turn per round. Tactical Actions. Characters may perform t,o half-round actions (or one full-round action), and as many free actions as they choose. Actions that require larger amounts of time must be performed over multiple rounds. See page XYZ for more details on combat actions.
Vigilance Time Used ,hen adventurers are in a potentially dangerous area (e.g. behind enemy lines), and ,ant to move slo,ly and cautiously. Vigilance Time is played out in a series of Minutes ,here 1 minute represents 10 rounds. Vigilant Actions. Characters may perform as many actions as they choose during this time, so long as the total time needed does not exceed one minute. Other,ise, multiple minutes ,ill be required to complete the task.
MOVEMENT & TRAVEL The party can travel distances, in spaces, over time. The number of spaces characters can travel is affected by t,o factors:
Speed Points. Depending on ho, many SPD the PC naturally has to use moving. See page XYZ.
Time Interval. Depending on ,hether the Host is measuring time in tactical, vigilance, routine, or prolonged intervals. See page XYZ.
Open Adventure Basic Rulebook – 25
Chapter IV: The Adventure
Distance Over Time
OCCUPIED SPACES
Speed represents the amount of speed points a character can spend traveling. Ho,ever, because time intervals represent diferent amounts of time, and maps represent diferent amounts of distance, each character’s SPD ,ill fuctuate based of these factors. The follo,ing information details ,hat maps are paired ,ith ,hich specific time intervals, and ho, many speed points a character is aforded for each (based of their speed score).
The character can never enter into a space (nor pass bet,een t,o spaces) occupied by an enemies or obstacles. Ho,ever, they may pass through (but not end their turn on) spaces occupied by allies.
MOVING IN TACTICAL TIME When time is played out slo,ly in tactical intervals, characters al,ays use local maps to represent each specific step they take. In space combat, stellar maps are used to represent the movements of starships, instead. During tactical time, the PC can perform t,o half-round actions. For each half-round action they use to move, they may move up to a number of spaces equal to the number of speed points they have (plus any additional modifiers, such as from perks, talents, magic, and so forth).
AS AN EXAMPLE, An adventurer is in combat, and wants to rush to the front line of the battle. They have 6 SPD, allowing them to move 6 spaces, as a half-round action, to cross the room. If they wanted, they could use their second half-round action to continue moving, attack, or perform another action.
MOVING IN VIGILANCE TIME Similar to tactical time, vigilance time is also played out on a detailed-focused local map. Ho,ever, due to the larger amount of time that transpires each interval, the character can travel greater distances. Thus, the PC may move a number of spaces each minute equal to double their speed points.
AS AN EXAMPLE, A character is cautiously searching a dungeon. They have a SPD of 5, which allows them to move 10 spaces (5 x 2 = 10) each vigilance time interval. They spend their time walking down a hallway and into a connecting room.
DIAGONAL MOVEMENT The character can move diagonally from one space to another, and for the same speed point cost as moving orthogonally.
26 – Open Adventure Basic Rulebook
REST & RECUPERATION After a long day of traveling, exploring, or battling, characters ,ill undoubtedly gro, ,eary and tired. Resting is an important ,ay for a party to relax and rejuvenate. Rest & Respite. To be considered resting, a character cannot engage in any strenuous activities (such as combat); nor carry, lift, or other,ise move any objects of a ,eight equal to t,ice their Strength.
Long Rests Characters ,ho repose from the rigors of adventure, and seek recess, can do so ,ith a Long Rest. Long rests consist of 8 hours of interlude, somnolence, and re-composure. Long rests are often enjoyed at night ,hen sleeping, in-bet,een a day’s travel, or after a harro,ing battle.
SLEEP Adventurers must sleep for 8 hours each day, or sufer 1 exhaustion counter (see page XYZ for rules on exhaustion). For every 4 hours of additional sleep they're deprived, they’ll sufer +1 additional exhaustion counter. Sleeping With Armor. Characters that ,ear bulky armor ,hen trying to sleep risk having their sleep interrupted due to the discomfort. If a character attempts to sleep ,hile ,earing suited armor (either light, medium, or heavy), they must make a ,illpo,er save each night. Characters ,earing light-suited armor gain advantage to this test, ,hile characters ,earing heavy suited armor gain disadvantage (medium suited armor receives no such advantage or disadvantage). If the character fails their save test, their sleep is interrupted by a number of hours equal to the number of points they failed their test by.
AS AN EXAMPLE, A character wearing heavy armor attempts to make a willpower save (with disadvantage), but fails by -4 points. The character loses 4 hours of sleep. Recovering Lost Sleep. Interrupted sleep must be recovered later, or else the character sufers the same exhaustion penalty as being deprived of sleep. For every 8 hours a character sleeps, they ,ill lose -1 exhaustion sufered from deprivation.
Chapter IV: The Adventure
Short Rests Sometimes adventurers need to stop and rest for a quick intermission before continuing on their adventure–especially after a physically exhausting event or encounter. Characters ,ho stop to catch their breath can do so ,ith a Short Rest. Short rests consist of 1 hour of rest & quietude. Reinvigorating Rest. After completing a short rest, the character may recover lost stamina points. For every hour a character rests, they recover 1 stamina point.
Natural Healing Hurt and injured characters have the natural ability to heal their ,ounds over time. This allo,s for adventurers to recover lost health points taken from them through combat, traps, and other life-threatening activities.
NATURALLY HEALING HP Level
Per Day
Per Day (While Resting)
0
½ HP
1 HP
1
1 HP
2 HP
2
2 HP
4 HP
3
3 HP
6 HP
4
4 HP
8 HP
5
5 HP
10 HP
Healing Health Points. Characters regain a number of lost health points equal to their experience level per day (minimum ½ HP); or t,ice their level per day–if the character rests for the entire day. It should also be noted that some items & spells can recover lost health points.
DEATH When a character's HP reaches 0 (or less), that character immediately dies. If an adventurer is dead, the controlling player should begin creating a ne, character (see page XYZ for steps on creating a player-character).
CHEATING DEATH Although extremely rare, some magic may delay (or even reverse) the efects of death. Reducing & Transferring XP. The total number of experience points (see page XYZ) of the dead character should be reduced by 10% (rounded do,n), then transferred to the player's ne, character. The ne, character ,ill begin at ,hichever level that the number of XP they have allo,s them to achieve.
AS AN EXAMPLE, A character died with 900 XP. The new PC would begin with 810 XP (900 – 10% = 810). Splitting The Loot. The surviving members of the party may discuss and decide ho, (if at all) they ,ill divide the dead PC’s ,eapons, armor, equipment, treasure, and so on. Filling The Void. At the Game Host's discretion, the player's ne, player-character can join the adventuring party immediately; or delay the meeting until it’s more logical to the story for the separate parties to meet.
LIGHT & VISION The majority of subterranean, urban, and stellar domains have a multitude of nooks, alcoves, and shado,s. What characters can (and cannot) see– and by ho, much–plays a key role in determining if something is spotted or overlooked.
Line Of Sight Anything an adventurer can see from their current position is considered ,ithin their Line Of Sight (LOS). For a character to have LOS to a target, the Host must be able to dra, an uninterrupted straight line from any corner of the space(s) the character occupies to any corner of the space(s) the target occupies.
Cover Cover is any hardened material (e.g. ,alls, doors, or another character) that obscures, blocks, and shields a target from attacks.
HEAVY COVER If a line of sight passes through any space occupied by cover, the target is considered to have Heavy Cover. Characters behind heavy cover cannot be targeted for attacks.
LIGHT COVER Ho,ever, if the line of sight only touches a corner (or border) of a space occupied by cover–but does not enter the space–the object only provides Light Cover, instead. In light cover, only certain parts of the target’s body ,ill be protected by the cover (depending on the character’s posture and general actions).
AS AN EXAMPLE, A character is standing behind a short wall. Thus, the character’s lower body is considered covered, while their upper torso is not.
Open Adventure Basic Rulebook – 27
Chapter IV: The Adventure Covering Body Regions. Refer to the body region table on page XYZ ,hen determining ,hich specific regions can be covered (at least one region must be uncovered, other,ise the character ,ould be considered under heavy cover; and therefore cannot be targeted). When the covered character is attacked, the attacker must roll on the body region table to determine if the defender’s covered anatomy is targeted. If so, the natural protection score of the cover is added to the character’s defense, and/or any refex saves they may perform (until they leave the cover).
AS AN EXAMPLE, A character is kneeling behind a short wall, exposing only their head. Another character makes a ranged attack targeting the character. The attacker rolls on the body region table and gets a 1 (the right leg or foot). Since the defender’s right foot is covered, the cover’s natural protection of 16 is added to the defender’s defense of 8 for a total of 24 (16 + 8 = 24). The attack of 12 is not enough to penetrate the cover, and thus misses. If a body region is not fully covered (but at least one-half of it is), add one-half of the cover’s natural protection score to the specific body region, instead.
Defense Disadvantage. Attacks coming from heavy concealment have advantage ,hen targeting the vie,er.
LIGHT CONCEALMENT Ho,ever, if the line of sight only touches (but does not cross) a corner (or border) of a space ,ith concealment, or if the spaces are only partially obscured (such as from t,ilight, patchy fog, or moderate underbrush), the target has Light Concealment, instead. Similarly, lo, obscurement (such as from a lo, gas cloud) equal in size to half the height of the creature (plus or minus 10%) only provides light concealment. Creatures have partial blindness (see page XYZ) to anything occupying light concealment, ,hich imposes the follo,ing rules:
Perception Disadvantage. The vie,er has disadvantage to any perception test dependent on sight (of spaces in light concealment).
Attack Disadvantage. The vie,er has disadvantage ,hen attacking targets in lightly concealed spaces.
Illumination There are three general types of illumination that characters must contend ,ith throughout their adventures: brightness, t,ilight, and darkness.
AS AN EXAMPLE,
BRIGHTNESS
A character is standing halfway behind a wall. Another character attacks them and rolls on the body region table, getting a 4 (torso). Since only half of the defender’s torso is exposed, they add one-half of the cover’s natural protection of 12 to their defense of 7, for a total of 13 (6 + 7 = 13).
Brightly lit and ,ell-illuminated spaces (either by daylight, torchlight, or radiant artificial light) that allo, the party to easily discern the details of a surrounding area ,ith their eyes (ho,ever, some creatures ,ith darkvision see poorly in brightness). Torch and lamp light cast bright light to adjacent spaces, making them ideal for underground or urban exploration.
Concealment Concealment is any natural material that obscures something from vie, (such as darkness, fog, or foliage). Ho,ever, unlike cover, concealment is al,ays made of soft (or empty) material that provides no further defensive advantage.
HEAVY CONCEALMENT If the line of sight passes through any corner of a space that provides concealment (such as darkness, opaque fog, or heavy jungle), the target is considered to have Heavy Concealment. Creatures have blindness (see page XYZ) to anything occupying heavy concealment, ,hich imposes the follo,ing rules:
Fails Perception. The vie,er automatically fails any perception test dependent on sight (of spaces in heavy concealment).
28 – Open Adventure Basic Rulebook
TWILIGHT Spaces that are illuminated, though poorly so. General outlines, positioning, and alignment of objects & items in t,ilight can be discerned, but many finer details are obscured by darkness or haze. T,ilight provides light concealment to anything it veils, and characters looking into (or ,ithin) t,ilight are temporarily partially blind–unless looking at (or targeting) spaces in brightness (or darkness).
DARKNESS Spaces submerged in black darkness (though not necessarily totally pitch-black). Darkness provides heavy concealment to anything it covers, and characters looking into (or ,ithin) darkness are temporarily blind–unless looking at (or targeting) spaces in brightness (or t,ilight).
Chapter IV: The Adventure
PSIONIC DAMAGE
DAMAGE TYPES As adventurers face ne, and exotic dangers, they ,ill also face various “types” of damage, kno,n as Damage Types. Damage inficted upon characters, transports, equipment, and so forth, may be of one or more types at the same time.
AS AN EXAMPLE, If not using the damage subtypes, “atomic” damage would be considered “energy” damage, instead.
Damage Type List (Alphabetical) BIOLOGICAL DAMAGE Biological damage derives from any chemical, physiological, or organic process; typically involving living creatures. Biological damage also includes internal damage such as bleeding or attacks targeting internal organs.
DAMAGE TYPES Damage Type
Save Type
Biological
Fortitude
Elemental
Fortitude
Energy
Refex
Kinetic
Refex
Psionic
Willpo,er
Spell*
Willpo,er
* = Fantasy Only
ELEMENTAL DAMAGE Elemental damage is obtained from the five elements of the ,orld: æther, earth, fire, ,ater, and ,ind. Elemental damage consists of anything that comes naturally from the ,orld in its purest elemental form.
ENERGY DAMAGE Energy damage refers to any damage that involves the complex interplay bet,een molecules, electromagnetism, and other forces of nature. Energy damage often comes from high-tech ,eaponry that releases large amounts of po,er in a single volley, for destructive results.
KINETIC DAMAGE Kinetic damage involves any physical impact, crushing, t,isting, or other manual manipulation. Kinetic damage can be inficted from ranged ,eapons such as bullets, melee ,eapons, or unarmed fighting.
Psionic damage comes from the mysterious paranormal po,ers of the mind. Psionic po,ers, such as telekinesis, can often infict other types of damage as ,ell (e.g. crush, contortion, heat, or cold).
SPELL DAMAGE Spell damage is manifested from the arcane, occult, and magical properties of spells.
CONDITIONS In OPEN ADVENTURE, characters may acquire, and sufer from, a variety of afictions, diseases, poisons, and more–kno,n collectively as Conditions. Conditions come from a variety of sources ranging any,here from traps to magic. Condition Details. The efects of a condition begin immediately upon receiving it and persist until the condition expires naturally, or is canceled by any other means. Damage sufered from conditions al,ays ignore armor (unless stated other,ise). If t,o or more conditions apply simultaneously, apply all of them (if certain efects cannot be combined, choose the most severe). Condition Counters. Some conditions’ efects are cumulative, allo,ing for multiple instances of itself to exist simultaneously on a single character. Any efect that inficts a condition ,ith a prefixed number (e.g. “2 energy drain” or “1 bleed”) has that many copies of it in efect on the PC (or NPC). This number, kno,n as a Counter, afects the severity, duration, or other parameters of the condition (the details of ,hich are explained in the description of the condition itself). Not all conditions have nor use counters (e.g. invisibility). Multiple Versions. Some conditions have t,o or more variations of the same efect. In such a case, each version ,ill be labeled in bold text.
Conditions List (Alphabetical) BLEED The character is profusely bleeding, causing them to perform a fortitude save once per round, then discard 1 bleed counter. If the character failed their fortitude save, they lose -1 health point.
BLIND Full Blindness. The character automatically fails any Perception test dependent on sight, and has ineptitude ,hen attacking. Additionally, other characters have advantage ,hen attacking the character. Partial Blindness: An alternative form of blindness that causes the character to have disadvantage ,hen performing any Perception test dependent on sight, and has ineptitude ,hen attacking.
Open Adventure Basic Rulebook – 29
Chapter IV: The Adventure
BURN
SLOW
The character (or their clothes) are ignited in fame. Once per round, the burning character (or an adjacent ally) may spend a full-round action performing a refex save. If successful, they manage to put out (at least part) of the fire–discard 1 burn counter. Ho,ever, if they fail their refex save, the burning character loses -1D health points, instead.
The character is lethargic and sluggish in their movements. The character’s speed is slo, (see page XYZ) and they may not begin their turn until after all other characters have completed their first turn of the round. If more than one character is slo,, the order of turns begins ,ith the character that became slo, first, or other,ise is decided by the GH. Once per minute, remove -1 slo, counter.
DYING The character is near death. Once per round the character must perform a fortitude save. If successful, they sufer -1 health point. If failed, they immediately die.
ENTANGLE The character is ensnared or entrapped. The character’s speed is quartered. Ho,ever, if the entangling bonds are anchored to an immobile object the character’s speed is reduced to 0, instead. An entangled character cannot run. Any attacks targeting the character have advantage, ,hile any attacks made by the entangled character have disadvantage.
HELPLESS The helpless character is unable to defend themselves. All attacks targeting the helpless character have advantage. Additionally, the character’s Dexterity must be ignored ,hen determining their defense and refex, for as long as they remain helpless. Any character adjacent to the helpless character may spend a full-round action to perform a “coup de grace” (mercy kill) attack. Their attack automatically hits for maximum damage (as if a +5 ,as rolled). If the helpless character survives the attack, they must perform a fortitude save. If failed, they immediately die.
PARALYSIS The paralyzed character is frozen in place and cannot perform any physical actions nor speak (though they can think freely), and is helpless. Attacks targeting the paralyzed character have advantage. Flying (or s,imming) creatures that become paralyzed immediately fall or sink, respectively. Characters may move through spaces of a paralyzed creature, but entering the occupied space costs 1 additional SPD point to do so.
PRONE The character is laying fat on their stomach. While prone, ranged attacks that target the character have disadvantage, but melee attacks that target them have advantage.
30 – Open Adventure Basic Rulebook
STUN The stunned character can only perform one halfround action (and no full-round actions) per round. The character may spend 1 half-round action concentrating to remove -1 stun counter.
SURPRISE The surprised character cannot perform any actions (including moving) this round.
UNCONSCIOUS The character is not a,ake and considered helpless (see the condition). An unconscious character cannot perform any actions (including move), speak, or perceive their surroundings (they automatically fail all Perception tests). If the character ,as standing ,hen becoming unconscious, they immediately drop anything they ,ere holding and fall prone (see the condition)–the petrify condition is an exception to this rule.
Chapter IV: The Adventure
CHARACTER LEVEL ADVANCEMENT XP Total
Level
Primary Abilities*
Stamina Points
FORT
REF
WILL
–
0
–
–
–
–
–
100 XP
1
+1
+1D
+1
+1
+1
400 XP
2
+1
–
–
+1D
+1
900 XP
3
+1
+2D
+1D
–
–
1,600 XP
4
+1
–
+1
+1
+1D
2,500 XP
5
+1
–
+1D
–
–
* = Cannot be used to increase the character’s highest primary ability score (unless tied for highest)
GAINING EXPERIENCE LEVELS In total, there are six levels a character can advance to; starting at level 0 and advancing to level V.
Step By Step Promotion Each level (other than level 0) has a minimum amount of Experience Points (XP) a character must earn before they can be promoted to that level. Each time a character is promoted to a ne, level, they gain a number of advances in their primary and secondary abilities. These advances are in the table on page XYZ, and outlined belo,.
I. PRIMARY ABILITIES Once per level, any one of the PC’s primary abilities (of the player’s choice) is permanently increased by +1 point. Ho,ever, the player cannot choose the primary ability ,ith the highest score (the ability may be tied for highest score, though).
AS AN EXAMPLE, A warrior is promoted to 2nd level. The warrior’s strength 8 is their highest primary ability score. Therefore, the player cannot choose to increase the warrior’s strength ability until it’s either tied for frst with another ability, or another ability has a higher score.
II. HEALTH POINTS The player should check the description of the character’s archetype to determine ho, many health points the player-character gains each ne, level. Add the increase to the character’s existing HP total. Health points are discussed on page XYZ.
III. STAMINA POINTS See the table above to determine if the character gains additional stamina points (and ho, many dice to roll). Read page XYZ for details about stamina points.
IV. SAVES Characters gain various amounts of ne, saves (fortitude, refex and ,illpo,er) as they advance in level. Refer to the table above to determine ,hen (and by ho, much) each of the character’s three saves increase. Page XYZ has information on saves.
V. TALENTS Archetypes gain ne, talents at certain levels (depending on the player-character’s archetype, and talent type). Refer to page XYZ for details about archetypes; and page XYZ for details about talent.
VI. MAGIC (OPTIONAL) Characters ,ith a Magic score of 1 or greater ,ill gro, more po,erful over time. Such magic ,ielders may use magic of higher orders and gain additional mana or psi (of a type they already have 1 or more points of) automatically. See the table on page XYZ for details on magic advancements.
MAGIC ADVANCEMENT Level 0 1 2 3 4 5
Magic Order Allowed th
0 Order st
1 Order 2
nd
Mana/Psi – –
Order
–
rd
3 Order
–
th
–
th
+1D MP/PSI
4 Order 5 Order
Open Adventure Basic Rulebook – 31
CHAPTER V: COMBAT
O
nce adventurers are ready to descend into a dungeon, travel through the ,ilderness, or visit an alien ,orld, they must prepare to face ,hatever fierce or foul foe they run across. Often times, encounters ,ith such creatures ,ill lead to a violent battle, referred to as combat.
COMBAT TIMELINE
INITIATIVE & SURPRISE When the party meets or comes upon another character (or party of characters), it is kno,n as an Encounter. Before any interactions can take place (or possible combat begin), it must first be determined ,hich character sensed the presence of the other, and therefore acts first–kno,n as Initiative. Who Checks Initiative. The character closest to a ne,ly-encountered NPC must immediately determine their initiative by making an initiative test (see belo,). If t,o or more characters are equidistant to an encountered NPC, the players may choose ,hich of the closest characters makes this test, instead. Performing An Initiative Test. A character’s initiative test is a special ability test based of their Perception score.
1.
Initiative Test. Determine starting side.
2.
Declare Actions. Players declare the party’s actions (in any order) as a group.
3.
Resolve Actions. A character performs their declared actions. A) Invalid movements or actions are rechosen and resolved.
4.
Finish Turn. After completing their actions, the controlling player chooses the next character to act (surprised characters are skipped the first round). Repeat steps 4 & 5 until all characters have gone.
5.
Finish Round. The round finishes and a ne, one begins (begin again at step 2 until combat ends).
Determining Initiative Winner. Depending on each party's test result, the follo,ing ,ill occur: 1.
First To Act. The character ,ith the highest initiative test result ,ins initiative. That character ,ill act first. If t,o or more test results are a tie, the character that rolled the highest number on their standard roll moves first, instead. If there is still a tie, the PC acts first, other,ise the Game Host decides.
2.
Surprise. All other characters ,ho performed an initiative test compare their test result to that of the ,inner. If their initiative is -5 (or more) points belo, the score of the ,inner, they sufer 1 surprise counter (see page XYZ).
AS AN EXAMPLE, A character opens a door only to fnd an orc standing on the other side of it. The PC has 6 Perception (and thus an initiative score of 6). The player makes a roll and gets a result of -1, giving the character an initiative total of 5 (6 – 1 = 5). The GH ,ill elect the NPC closest to the PC to perform an initiative test, as ,ell. This process is repeated by the Host for either each NPC party (based of allegiance) or each NPC creature type (based of species)–depending on the Host’s discretion. Automatic Initiative. At the GH's judgment, he or she may determine that initiative is automatically granted to a particular character, due to special situational circumstances.
AS AN EXAMPLE, An adventuring party walking down a dark hallway with a bright torch or chem light would automatically lose initiative and become surprised by enemies hiding in the dark, due to the light giving away their approach.
COMBAT ROUNDS During every round of combat, each party takes their turn (unless surprised), starting ,ith the side of the character ,ho ,on initiative.
1. DECLARE ACTIONS Ho,ever, before any characters can begin their first turn, the players must formulate a strategy and declare any actions that the characters are about to undertake. Players may discuss amongst the group about ,hat the best course of actions are for the party to perform–given their present situation.
Open Adventure Basic Rulebook – 33
Chapter V: Combat
VALID DECLARATIONS The Game Host must decide beforehand ,hat constitutes a valid declaration. Some GHs may require the players to be specific–detailing the exact location players intend to move their characters to,ards and ,hat targets ,ill be subject to the PCs attacks, magic, perks, talents, or other abilities. Other Game Hosts, ho,ever, may only require a vague description ,ith a general intention of ,hat the PCs are ,ishing to accomplish. Informing The Host. Once the players have decided ,hat their characters and any retainers ,ill do for the round, they should inform the caller of their intentions; ,ho ,ill relay the plans to the Game Host.
AS AN EXAMPLE, The caller may declare “Guld Novastar the renegade will move forward three spaces and attack the xergling with his laser rifle. Gaeriel Tull the cleric will begin conjuring the 'heal minor wounds' spell.”
GAME HOST’S ACTIONS The requirement of declaring actions does not apply to the Game Host, and should not be performed by the GH during an NPC party's turn; but should be performed ,hen the Game Host is playing as a hireling or mercenary NPC ,ho is a member of the adventuring party.
3. RESOLVE ACTIONS On the player's turn, their characters must attempt to perform the actions declared during the “declare actions” step (see page XYZ). If a declared action becomes invalid or impossible to perform (such as moving to a location that became occupied before the character could move there), the player may choose a ne, valid target for their character or the character may perform a ne, action of their choice.
AS AN EXAMPLE, Guld Novastar' intended to take aim and attack a xergling with his laser pistol but when the time came for Novastar to perform his attack, other characters from his party were blocking his line of sight to the enemy. Because the target is no longer valid, Novastar may select a new target to attack or choose a new action, instead.
TURN ORDERS After the chosen character has acted, the player must choose the next character to act (amongst the 34 – Open Adventure Basic Rulebook
pool of eligible characters). This process ,ill continue until all characters have had a turn for that round.
SLOW START Characters ,ith the slo, condition can only begin their turn after all other characters (,ithout the slo, condition) have completed their turn– but before any extra turns begin. See page XYZ for details about slo,.
END OF ROUND After all characters have completed their turns, the last character decides ,hich character ,ill begin at the start of the next round, beginning the process ane,.
COMBAT ACTIONS During combat, the speed of the in-game time is slo,ed as to allo, for individual actions, maneuvers, and attacks to be focused on and deliberated over by the players. Actions are played out individually one-by-one to help prevent important movements from being overlooked.
ACTION TYPES Tactical time is resolved in a series of rounds ,here each round represents 6 seconds of in-game time. During combat, characters can perform one of four types of actions: full-round, half-round, free, or special actions.
FULL-ROUND ACTIONS As the name implies, this type of action takes an entire round (and the character's full turn) to complete. Examples of a full-round action ,ould be lighting a torch or casting certain spells. Characters may only perform full-round actions at the start of their turn (and not in the middle nor near the end).
HALF-ROUND ACTIONS An action that takes half the time to complete as a full-round action. Characters may perform up to t,o half-round actions in a single turn. An example of a half-round action ,ould be to perform one attack or move a number of spaces equal to the character's speed.
FREE ACTIONS An action that takes place so quickly, or that can be performed simultaneously ,ith other actions, that it does not take any in-game time to complete. Characters can perform any number of free actions during a round, including even during other char-
Chapter V: Combat acter's turns. Examples of free actions ,ould be to yell a command or drop an item.
SPECIAL ACTIONS Some special actions take place over longer periods of time (such as over t,o or more rounds). These large actions should be divided into a series of halfround (or full-round) actions, ,hile in combat. Improvised Actions. If a character ,ishes to perform an action not listed, the GH should decide ,hat type of action is should be classified as. If the action requires 1-3 seconds, the action should be considered a half-round action. If the action can complete in 4-6 seconds, it should be considered a full-round action. Actions longer than 6 seconds are considered special and ,ill be divided into multiple half-round actions, full-round actions, minutes, segments, or longer.
ORDER OF ACTIONS When performing actions during combat, characters may choose to perform their actions in any order they choose–including temporarily suspending one action to begin and finish another.
AS AN EXAMPLE, A character may choose to move and attack (both half-round actions) on their same turn. The adventurer may decide to move a few spaces, attack, then fnish their movement action.
DELAYED ACTIONS Characters may choose to Delay an action until any time later in the round. To do so, the character must first spend a half-round action delaying their next action. Concentration. While delaying, a character must be concentrating on their next action (see page XYZ for details on concentration). If the character’s concentration is broken, they lose their ability to perform their delayed action for that round. Performing A Delayed Action. A delayed action can be performed at any time later in the round (including interrupting another character’s turn). When doing so, the current character’s turn is suspended ,hile the delaying character’s turn continues. Once the delaying character’s action is complete, their turn ends and the suspended turn of the other character continues. Declarations & Delayed Actions. Players may choose to use a delayed action as a means to “react” to a single action of another character (or situation).
COMMON COMBAT ACTIONS Action FREE ACTIONS Drop Item / Weapon End Spell / Psionic Lay Prone Speak HALF-ROUND ACTIONS Attack Dra, / Holster Weapon Move Pick Up Item Stand From Prone Position FULL-ROUND ACTIONS Aimed Attack Delayed Action Light Torch / Chem Light Use a Starship System SPECIAL ACTIONS Don / Dof Armor Perform an Ability Test Cast Magic
AS AN EXAMPLE, A character delays pushing a “self destruct” button on their starship, to frst wait and see if the enemy alien boarding party succeeds at capturing the bridge. For this reason, the delayed action does not need to be declared in the “declare actions” step, but the player must declare ,hat one thing their character is reacting to, and all possible counteractions the character ,ill perform based on the diferent possible outcomes. For defense-based reactions, see guarding on page XYZ.
MELEE ATTACKS Any character ,ith a melee ,eapon may perform a melee attack. For unarmed attacks, see page XYZ. Melee attacks must target characters ,ithin the attacker’s natural reach (unless their ,eapon has the reach ability, see page XYZ). Making A Melee Attack. To perform a melee attack, the attacker makes a standard roll then adds or subtracts the result to their melee attack score.
Open Adventure Basic Rulebook – 35
Chapter V: Combat
ATTACK TIMELINE 1.
Line Of Sight. Verify that the attacker has LOS to the target.
2.
Cover & Concealment. Determine if the target has any cover and/or concealment from the attacker.
3.
Distance Away. Count the number of spaces a,ay the attacker is from the target (ranged & magic attacks only).
4.
Press The Attack. Attack the target.
That number is compared to the defender's defense score. For every 1 point the attack is over the defender's defense, 1 point of damage is inficted.
AS AN EXAMPLE, An attacker with a melee attack of 8 rolls a -1, resulting in a total of 7. The defender has a defense of 5. The defender takes 2 damage (7 – 5 = 2).
RANGED ATTACKS Any character ,ith a ranged ,eapon (including a thro,n ,eapon) may perform a ranged attack.
VARIABLE RANGE The range of a character's attack may change depending on the result of the dice rolled during the attack (see belo,). Making A Ranged Attack. To perform a ranged attack, the attacker makes a standard roll then adds or subtracts the result to their ,eapon's range. If the target is not ,ithin the range of the attacker after the roll, then the attack is considered a miss. Ho,ever, if the target is ,ithin range, the modifier from the dice roll is then added to the character's ranged attack score. That number is compared to the defender's defense score. For every 1 point the attack is over the defender's defense, 1 point of damage is dealt.
AS AN EXAMPLE, An attacker is using a weapon with a range of 5 which is increased to 8 because of a +3 attack roll. The defender is within range of the weapon–meaning she has been successfully attacked. The attacker has a natural ranged attack score of 7, resulting in a total of 10 (7 + 3 = 10). The defender has a defense of 6 resulting in the defender sufering 4 damage (10 – 6 = 4).
36 – Open Adventure Basic Rulebook
UNARMED ATTACKS Characters ,ithout ,eapons can perform an unarmed attack (note that certain “unarmed ,eapons”, such as brass knuckles, can still be used during unarmed attacks). When performing an unarmed attack, the attacker uses their Dexterity primary ability score as their attack number (instead of their Strength or Perception).
AS AN EXAMPLE, A character with a Dexterity 4 would have an attack score of 4 when attacking unarmed.
Attack Forms There are three Forms an unarmed attacker can make: strike, kick, and counter-,eapon. Every time a character ,ishes to make an unarmed attack, they must first declare ,hich specific form they ,ill use (during the “declare actions” step). Each form is diferent, ofering certain bonuses over the others (see belo,).
Strikes The character uses their fists, elbo,s, arms, and/or upper body to infict crush damage onto their opponent. Any unarmed attack using a part of the character’s body from their ,aist or higher that inficts crush damage is considered a strike (including special attacks such as head butts).
Kicks The character uses their feet, legs, and knees to infict po,erful hits against their opponent. Any attack using a part of the character’s body belo, their ,aist that inficts crush damage is considered a kick.
Counter-Weapon Unarmed characters may attempt to disarm or disrupt the ,eapon of an attacker ,ho is targeting them by making a counter-,eapon maneuver. A counter-,eapon maneuver can be performed either ofensively or defensively. Offensively. The character may make an unarmed attack as if it ,ere a strike or kick. If the attack ,ould deal 1 or more points of damage, the defender drops their ,eapon (or shield), instead. Defensively. When guarding (see page XYZ), a character may attempt to parry an incoming attack that targets them. See page XYZ for details about parrying.
Chapter V: Combat
EXULT POINTS Exult Points (EX) represent the character’s finesse, poise, and grace in battle. EX can be spent during combat to temporarily gain special abilities and other bonuses. Certain ,eapons, armor, and equipment (as ,ell as certain perks & talents) have special abilities that can be utilized ,hen the character expends EX.
AS AN EXAMPLE, A character with 2 exult points wielding a sniper rifle may use the weapon ability that reads “ : double damage” (this means 1 stamina point and 2 EX may be spent to inflict double damage for that attack). Gaining EX. For every +1 rolled on an attack roll, that attack gains +1 exult point. Only +1's from attack rolls provide exult points (negative modifiers never give an attacker exult points).
BODY REGION Roll 1D
Body Region
Damage Modifier
1
Left Leg / Foot
1 x Damage
2
Right Leg / Foot
1 x Damage
3
Left Arm / Hand
½ x Damage
4
Torso
1 x Damage
5
Right Arm / Hand
½ x Damage
6
Head
2 x Damage
Damage Modifier. Depending on the region hit, the amount of damage inficted may be doubled, reduced by one-half or remain the same (see the table above).
AIMED ANATOMY Adventurers ,ho perform an aimed attack have the option to spend exult points (see page XYZ) from their attacks to add to or subtract from this roll.
AS AN EXAMPLE, A character makes an attack and the player rolls +2. Therefore, the PC immediately receives +2 exult points until end of attack. On their next attack, the player rolls -1. The character would receive no exult points. Character bonuses such as skill points, perks, saves, and so on, do not provide exult points–unless specifically listed as doing so; only positive rolls from attacks can provide exult points.
AS AN EXAMPLE, A character with a sword that has +2 destruction would not automatically receive exult points because of the bonus. Unused exult points disappear at the end of the attack. Similarly, any ability gained from the use of exult points only lasts until the end of the attack (unless stated other,ise).
ADVANCED COMBAT
AIMED ATTACKS When an adventurer ,ishes to steady their aim in hopes of making a precise attack, they may make their attack Aimed. Ready Aim & Fire. To steady their hand and aim their ,eapon, the character must spend precious seconds in battle honing in on their target to hit their mark. Therefore, an aimed attack can only be performed if the character first spends a halfround action concentrating on their target. If the attacker loses either their concentration or line of sight to their target before the attack is made, their aimed attack immediately becomes a normal attack, instead. Precision Aspiration. Aimed attacks allo, the aiming character the increased chance of impaling a specific part of the defender’s body. After an aimed attack has been discharged, the controllingplayer must make a body region roll (see page XYZ) to determine ,hat anatomy of their opponent’s body ,as hit. Additionally, the attacker may spend any number of exult points (see page XYZ) they may have gained from that attack to either add +1 (or subtract -1) from the body region roll result.
TARGETING BODY REGIONS At the GH's discretion, the character’s attacks may strike a particular region or anatomy of an enemy's body. After an attack roll has been made–but before combat damage is assigned, the attacker may roll an additional 1D and consult the table belo,.
Open Adventure Basic Rulebook – 37
Chapter V: Combat
AS AN EXAMPLE, A character spends a half-round action aiming their musket at an enemy, then fres. The attacker gains +2 attack from the attack roll, giving the player 2 exult points until end of round. The player then rolls 1D to determine where on the enemy's body the attack hits. The player rolls a 4 resulting in the attack targeting the enemy's torso. The player may spend their exult points to either add or subtract up to 2 points from the body region roll.
DUAL-WIELDING TWO WEAPONS Characters can use t,o ,eapons simultaneously in the heat of battle. Two Hands Needed. The PC can dual-,ield t,o arms only if both of their hands are empty prior to equipping, and each ,eapon only requires one hand to ,ield (t,o-handed ,eapons cannot normally be dual ,ielded). This rule also applies to thro,n ,eapons (e.g. shurikens). Double Strike. When using t,o ,eapons, an adventurer may make an additional attack per each of their turns ,ith their secondary of-hand ,eapon, but must do so ,ith disadvantage. If the character’s dominant and of-hand are not kno,n, the player may decide the order. Once chosen, this choice cannot be changed later.
AS AN EXAMPLE, A PC wielding a laser pistol and a light machine gun may choose to attack with the weapon in their dominant hand. If they choose to make a second attack with their of-hand weapon, they may do so once per turn. This second attack has disadvantage.
COMBAT ABILITIES Combat abilities are special po,ers & capabilities that the character ,ith access to them can take advantage of to infict extra damage, conditions, and other combat-related infuences. See ,eapons on page XYZ to reference ,hich have combat abilities and any additional point costs or restrictions associated ,ith them.
BURST FIRE The attacker expends t,o additional ammunition and performs a refex save. If successful, they gain +2 damage to their current attack.
DEFLECT Before using defect, the defender must declare they're using this ability before the attacker makes an attack roll. 38 – Open Adventure Basic Rulebook
The defender may attempt to defect the incoming attack by performing a counter-attack ,ith their ,eapon. The counter-attack deals no damage, but is instead compared to the attacker's attack number. If the defender's counter-attack meets or beats the incoming attack number, that attack is defected and no damage is inficted. Unless stated other,ise, this ability can only be used once per round.
DEFLECT, COUNTER The attacker may make a refex save. If successful, their current attack cannot be defected.
DELAY The defender must make a fortitude save. If failed, they sufer +1 slo, counter.
DISARM Before using disarm, the attacker must declare they're using this ability before making an attack roll. Instead of inficting damage from this attack, the attacker may force the defender to make a refex save. If failed, the defender drops their ,eapon. If the defender is ,ielding more than one ,eapon, the attacker may choose ,hich ,eapon the defender drops.
DOUBLE DAMAGE If at least 1 point of damage ,as dealt to the target this attack, the defender must make a fortitude save. If failed, all damage sufered from the current attack is doubled.
ENTANGLE If at least 1 point of damage ,as dealt to the target this attack, the defend becomes entangled ,ith the ,eapon. Once per minute the defender may make a refex save. If successful, they may free themselves from their entanglement.
EXPLOSIVE MUNITION The projectile (or cartridge) from this ,eapon explodes on impact. Each character ,ithin 3 area of the explosion must perform a fortitude save. If failed, they sufer +1D explosive damage and sufer 2 knockback.
EXTRA ATTACK If at least 1 point of damage ,as dealt to the target this attack, the attacker may immediately make an extra attack as a free action. This ability can only be used once per turn.
HOOK Before using hook, the attacker must declare they're using this ability before making an attack roll.
Chapter V: Combat If at least 1 point of damage ,as dealt to the target this attack, the attacker may infict half damage (rounded do,n) instead and force the defender to make a refex save. If failed, the defender falls prone.
KNOCKBACK If at least 1 point of damage ,as dealt to the target this attack, the defender is forcefully moved a number of spaces equal to the number of counters on this ability. The direction they’re moved is decided by the attacker–but the attacker must have line of sight to the space the defender lands on.
KNOCKOUT If at least 1 point of damage ,as dealt to the target this attack, the defender must make a ,illpo,er save. If failed, they fall unconscious for 2D rounds.
PIERCE If at least 1 point of damage ,as dealt to the target this attack, the protection score of the defender’s armor is reduced by a number of points equal to the number of counters on this ability (until the end of the current attack).
tion number (minimum 1 damage). Damage inficted this ,ay ignores armor.
SLOW SHOT The defender may immediately make a dodge action as a free action against the attacker’s fired projectile if they are at least a number of spaces a,ay as one-half of the ,eapon’s range.
SUNDER If at least 1 point of damage ,as dealt to the defender this attack, they must make a refex save. If failed, their armor permanently loses -1 protection (minimum 0) equal to the number of counters on this ability.
SWEEP The attacker's current attack targets all spaces adjacent to the attacker. For rules purposes, all targeted spaces are attacked simultaneously, but the attacker must make separate attack rolls for each character or object afected by this ability.
REACH The attacker's melee (or unarmed) ,eapon gains +1 range for each counter on this ability. Additionally, the ,eapon may attack all spaces bet,een the target and the attacker (and may target spaces ,ithin reach that ,ould normally be blocked by nearby allied characters). The range increase gained by reach does not increase (or decrease) like a ranged attack. See page XYZ for variable range details.
SET VS. CHARGE Before the attacker makes their attack roll, the defender may interrupt the attacker's attack if it targets the defender and is using the charge ability. The defender may immediately make a counterattack ,ith this ,eapon as a free action. Any damage inficted from this counter-attack onto the attacker is doubled. After the counter-attack is complete, the attacker may continue their turn as normal.
SKEWER If at least 1 point of damage ,as dealt to the target this attack, the attacker may choose to ske,er the defender by releasing their ,eapon or its projectile–letting it remain stuck in their opponent for 2D rounds. Each round the defender is ske,ered, they sufer +1 bleed counter. The ske,ered defender may spend a full-round action removing the ,eapon or projectile from their body but immediately sufers pierce damage equal to t,ice the ,eapon's destruc-
Open Adventure Basic Rulebook – 39
CHAPTER VI: MAGIC
M
agic is mysterious, arcane, and often occult energies. A character can harness these mysterious po,ers in a formula designed to control the enigmatic incantations. In fantasy campaigns magic is referred to as Spells ,hile in science-fiction expeditions magic is referred to as Psionics. Collectively, all forms of magic may be referred to as Magia or Magic. Though the names are diferent, the rules governing both forms of magic are largely the same.
MAGIC FORMS
votions to ask for divine intervention in the name of the caster’s cause.
PSIONICS Some extraordinary characters possess paranormal po,ers of the mind–kno,n as psionics. Such gifted characters use the po,er of thought to perform psychic abilities such as telekinesis, telepathy, and more. Psionic po,ers can be used by tapping into an all-prevailing mysterious po,er kno,n as the Paraforce. The paraforce has t,o sides to it: the light side and the dark side.
Magic in OPEN ADVENTURE is divided among different general types, kno,n as Forms. There are nine forms of magic in total: five forms of spells, t,o forms of psionics, and t,o special forms (discussed later in this chapter).
LIGHT PSIONICS
SPELLS
DARK PSIONICS
The five types of spells are: black magic, ,hite magic, blue magic, red magic, and green magic.
Dark Psionics look in,ardly to one's selfishness, anger, fear, and malevolent nature to achieve great po,er and domination over others.
BLACK MAGIC
Light Psionics look out,ardly to,ards everyone's better nature, uses altruism, charity, humility, mental discipline, and healing to achieve an end result that is best for everyone.
SPECIAL MAGIC
Black Magic is used to beckon demonic entities to do the caster’s bidding. Black magic is evoked through incantations and sacrificial ssances for bribing dark spirits to fight by the character’s side.
Other, more exotic, forms of magic exist outside that of spells and psionics.
BLUE MAGIC
PRISMATIC MAGIC
Blue Magic is sorcery and conjurations that bend reality and create arcane constructs and illusions. Blue magic is invoked through computing arcane equations and performing rituals to conjure po,erful summons to assist the caster.
GREEN MAGIC Green Magic is nature-based spells used by druids, shamans, medicine men, and the like. It taps into the life force of all living plants and animals surrounding the caster. Green magic is used through songs (both vocal and the use of musical instruments) and dance to dra, upon all living spirits.
Prismatic Magic is a hybrid form of magic made up of t,o (or more) magic forms.
AS AN EXAMPLE, A magia that is both green and blue magic would be considered prismatic magic.
MULTICOLORED MAGIC Prismatic magia is considered to be all forms that it is comprised of, simultaneously.
RED MAGIC
ACHROMATIC MAGIC
Red Magic is inner focus and cultivation of ki/chi energy that empo,ers the caster to supernatural levels. Red magic is focused through meditation and channeling to protect and strengthen a caster's body.
Achromatic Magic is not considered to belong to any spell (or psionic) color. Although achromatic magic is uncolored, any type of mana or psi (see page XYZ) can be used to cast achromatic magic. Ho,ever, achromatic magic al,ays remains colorless, no matter ,hat type of mana or psi is used to cast it.
WHITE MAGIC White Magic is mysticism used to hearken divine souls (e.g. angels and deities) to help in a time of need. White magic is used through prayers and de-
Open Adventure Basic Rulebook – 41
Chapter VI: Magic
CEREMONIAL RITUALS Before the caster can harness the enigmatic dynamism of magic, they must first gather the necessary efcacy through ceremonial rituals & rites.
CEREMONIES After completing a long rest, the caster may choose to perform a magical ceremony to commune ,ith their deity, calculate arcane equations, or ruminate their subconscious and focus their chi. A ceremony is comprised of one or more individual rituals (see belo,) performed together in succession.
Components Rituals are made up of individual gestures and phrases that the caster must perform, or in some cases are instead, the items the caster must have in their immediate possession. If the caster is missing one (or more) required components, the ritual cannot be completed.
FOCUS (F) Focus items are any type of material (see belo,) that represents a religious or holy relic, symbolic object, or sacred item. Focus components must be held by (or ,ithin line of sight), and concentrated on, by the caster throughout the ritual.
AS AN EXAMPLE,
Message & Motif
A caster of green magic builds an altar out of natural materials including river stones for the base, woodcarved statues, and wild flowers for adornment.
Ceremonies are typically performed in places of seclusion and solitude ,here the caster can concentrate and focus their thoughts.
AS AN EXAMPLE,
MATERIAL (M)
The caster may choose to escape from the party and fnd a babbling brook or peaceful meadow to perform a ceremony.
Magic Materials are either symbolic ingredients or objects that are sacrificed, consumed, or other,ise depleted during a ceremony. There are four general types of material components: plant, animal, mineral, and special components.
The specific location is decided by the PC, but the area should fit the same central theme, symbolism, motif, or style as the magic’s form that the caster ,ishes to ,ield.
AS AN EXAMPLE, If the caster wished to cultivate black magic, it would be ftting to perform a dark ceremony in a necropolis. Like,ise, the tone and design of the ceremony’s rituals & liturgies should share at least one characteristic of the spells or psionics the caster ,ishes to harness.
AS AN EXAMPLE, If the caster wanted to acquire a spell of healing, they may use a rod, serpent, or curative medical herbs in their ceremonial rituals.
RITUALS Rituals are individual acts of appeasement, study, and/or meditation that the caster performs in an attempt to gather supernatural po,ers. Each ritual takes 1D x 10 minutes to complete.
42 – Open Adventure Basic Rulebook
Plant Materials. Plant-based materials may include (but are not limited to) leaves, vines, spores, stems, fruiting bodies, petals, and roots.
Animal Materials. Animal-based materials may embody furs, fins, fangs, teeth, feathers, extremities, bones, and internal organs.
Mineral Materials. Mineral-based materials may consist of ores, gems, crystals, stones, soils, and metals.
Special Materials. Often the most expensive and difcult components to acquire. Special materials constitute items of historic, symbolic, or religious significance, mastercraft objects, and magically enchanted items.
AS AN EXAMPLE, The caster ofers a sacrifcial ofering of incense, blessed wine in a chalice, a salver of fresh pabulum, and a cerulean ammonite.
SOMATIC (S) Somatic gestures are movements and physical expressions (e.g. ,eaving of occult patterns and sigils in the air) ,ith the caster's hands and arms. The caster must have at least one hand free (and empty, unless the Game Host decrees certain magic items related to the magia are exempt from this restriction) in order to perform somatic rituals.
Chapter VI: Magic
AS AN EXAMPLE,
AS AN EXAMPLE,
The caster sprinkles milk & honey around the perimeter of an elder tree, melts sigils into a moon candle, then performs a midnight esbat.
The caster with an Intelligence 5 score may memorize up to fve spells or psionics (afer performing fve related rituals).
VERBAL (V) Verbal components are spoken incantations, expressed blessings, or uttered curses. If the caster is unable to speak aloud (such as from being gagged, or magically silenced), then they cannot perform verbal components of magic. Deaf or deafened casters must perform a ,illpo,er save test before performing any verbal ritual. On a failure, they misspeak their ,ords and fail the ritual.
AS AN EXAMPLE, The caster hymns an evensong of spiritual reverence and devotion to their deity.
Mana & Psi Each of the five spell forms (black, blue, green, red, and ,hite magic) have five corresponding mana types: Black Mana, White Mana, Blue Mana, Red Mana, and Green Mana. Like,ise, the t,o psionic forms (light and dark psionics), also have t,o corresponding psi types: Light Psi and Dark Psi. Additionally, there is also Achromatic Mana (mana of any form, discussed later in this chapter). Magical Replenishment. For each successfully performed ritual, the caster gains a Mana Point (MP) or Psi Point (PSI) of a form of their choosing (up to a maximum number equal to their Magic score).
AS AN EXAMPLE, The caster with a Magic 5 score performs three ceremonial rituals. Therefore, the caster gains 3 MP (or Psi) of their choice. Mana and psi can only be chosen if the caster originally committed to that magic form(s) during character creation (see page XYZ).
Magic Memorization For each magia the caster ,ishes to invoke, they must first study and commit it to memory. After successfully performing a ritual, the caster may memorize 1 magia of their choice (up to a number of magia equal to their Intelligence).
Memory Limits. The caster can only memorize magic that shares the same form as the mana/psi the caster possess. When memorizing a spell or psionic for the very first time, the caster must perform an Intelligence ability test. If failed, they’re unable to comprehend the magic’s dimensionality, and fails to learn it.
CASTING MAGIC The act of casting magic requires immense amounts of supernatural po,er. The cost to cast magia, kno,n as its Cast Cost, is the amount (and type) of mana and/or psi that must be spent before the magic can be invoked.
CAST COST The mana or psi cost of magic is equal to its order (see page XYZ).
AS AN EXAMPLE, First order magic has a cast cost of 1 MP or PSI. Second order magic has a cast cost of 2 MP or PSI, and so on. Zeroth Order Magic. While zeroth order magic typically doesn’t have a cast cost, there is a limit to the number of times it can be cast. The caster can invoke 0th order magic up to a number of times equal to their Magic score. After,ards, the caster must complete a long rest and a ne, set of ceremonial rituals to reset this count. Prismatic Magic. As the name suggests, prismatic magic requires the simultaneous expense of t,o (or more) diferent mana and/or psi types.
AS AN EXAMPLE, A prismatic spell with a cast cost of “ ” would require exactly one black mana and one blue mana. Achromatic Magic. The cast cost of achromatic magic can be spent by expending any type of mana or psi (either colored or not), up to the amount listed for the magic’s cast cost.
Open Adventure Basic Rulebook – 43
Chapter VI: Magic
LIST OF MAGIC
AS AN EXAMPLE, An achromatic spell with a cast cost of “” could be paid for by expending ““, ““, or any other mana or psi type.
MAGIC ATTACKS Many magia efects can be used ofensively in combat. When the efects of the spell or psionic manifest as a physical attack (e.g. such as a ranged attack like casting a fireball), the caster is considered to be making a magic attack. The character’s magic attack score is equal to their Charisma and Magic abilities added together.
After the caster has their MP/PSI and memorized one or more magia, the controlling player may begin bro,sing the spells and psionics list beginning on page XYZ to determine ,hat magic is available to them. Each magic has a set of common values describing the capabilities of the spell or psionic:
Name. The title or name of the magia.
Function. A shorthand description of ,hat the magic performs.
Order. Which order the magic belongs to, as ,ell as the casting cost to use the magia.
Casting Time. The amount of time it takes for the caster to concentrate before they can use the spell or psi. Cast time ,ill be a number in halfround actions or minutes. A spell or psionic is not cast until its full cast time has elapsed.
Range. The maximum number of spaces a magic spell or psionic can reach from the caster. A spell can be cast any distance up to its range number. A range of “caster” refers to the magic afecting only the character ,ho cast the magic. Magic ,ith a “caster” range ,ill follo, the caster unless stated other,ise. A range of “touch” means the magic ,ill only ,ork on ,ho (or ,hat) the caster touches as they cast the magic. For rules purposes magic ,ith a range of “caster” or “touch” have a range of 0 and 1, respectively.
Duration. The amount of time the spell ,ill last before its efects end. Duration ,ill be a number in rounds, minutes, segments, hours or even days. Some magic has a duration of “instant” ,hich means it ends as soon as it begins. “Permanent” duration means the efect ,ill last forever (unless disrupted or changed someho,).
AS AN EXAMPLE, The caster has a Charisma of 5 and Magic of 3. Therefore, their magic attack score is 8 (5 + 3 = 8). Magic attacks are performed similarly to normal attacks (e.g. melee, ranged, or unarmed attacks), ,ith an exception to damage (see belo,). The controlling-player makes a standard attack roll, and applies the any modifier to the caster’s magic attack score. If the total exceeds the defender’s defense, the attack is successful.
AS AN EXAMPLE, The caster has a magic attack of 8. As a spell, the PC magically conjures a lightning bolt, targeting their enemy. The player makes a standard roll and gets a +3 for a magic attack total of 11 (8 + 3 = 11). The enemy’s defense is only 9, so the magic attack is successful. Special Effects. The amount of damage magia inficts and/or any special efects applied to its target depend ,holly on the specific rules of the magic cast (see the magic’s details).
Saving Vs Magic Victims of magic used as attacks may sometimes avoid or lessen the damage or efects inficted. Sometimes the defender may attempt to make a save test (see page XYZ for information on saves) against the magic that targets them. Successful Saves. Targets of magic may only attempt a ,illpo,er save against the magic if the spell or psionic specifically allo,s for the opportunity. If a character succeeds at their save test, the magia ,ill deal half damage (rounded do,n), have no efect, or an entirely diferent efect (specified by the magic).
44 – Open Adventure Basic Rulebook
BLACK MAGIC Zazhul’s Death Rapine Find Undead Order: 0th Black Magic – No Cast Cost Casting Time: 20 minutes Range: Caster Duration: 7 rounds So long as the caster is standing on (or remains touching) an unholy geometric shape inscribed on the ground (or ,all), the caster senses the direction and distance to the nearest undead creature ,ithin 5 spaces of themselves.
Chapter VI: Magic Higher Grades. At grade II the caster also kno,s the quantity of undead creatures up to +3 spaces a,ay. At grade III the caster is also able to discern the type and level of up to 2D-2 of the sensed undead creatures.
Malefcent Espial Sense Evil Order: 0th Black Magic – No Cast Cost Casting Time: 20 minutes Range: Caster Duration: 1D+2 minutes A sulfuric smoke adjacent to the caster ,ill billo, dark ebony if any evil creatures, desecrated land, or cursed items are ,ithin 7 volume of it. Higher Grades. At grade II the smoke casts a shado, of a ,rithing corpse, ,ith its arms outstretched in the direction of the closest evil or cursed thing ,ithin +3 spaces. At grade III the caster can also concentrate on the smoke and see the dark faces of the malevolence appear & ebb into the smoke’s obscurity.
Exspira Oculi Scrying Order: 0th Black Magic – No Cast Cost Casting Time: 40 minutes Range: Touch Duration: 5 minutes The caster may desecrate any object (of ring size or larger) ,ith a special scrying curse. In the caster’s dreams, they may ,atch any creature (and their immediate surroundings up to 1 space in all directions) ,ho ,ears (or carries) the cursed item, from up to 36 spaces a,ay. Higher Grades. At grade II the caster can also ,atch the creature up to +3D x 10 spaces a,ay. At grade III the spell’s duration is also increased by +1 minute per level.
BLUE MAGIC Realmwalker’s Prenotion Danger Foresight Order: 0th Blue Magic – No Cast Cost Casting Time: 30 minutes Range: Caster Duration: 11 minutes + 1 minute per level The caster gains a po,erful sixth sense against danger. Once per minute, until spell’s end, the Game Host ,ill provide an instantaneous ,arning of any impending harm endangering the caster. Higher Grades. At grade II the caster ,ill also be provided ,ith a general idea of ,hich action they might take to best protect themselves against the
danger. At grade III the caster also gains +1 refex and +1 initiative for each of their experience levels.
Eye Of Veracity See Illusions Order: 0th Blue Magic – No Cast Cost Casting Time: 20 minutes Range: Caster Duration: 9 minutes The caster’s eyes glo, a smokey-silver color, giving them advantage to detecting illusions ,ithin their line of sight, up to 5 spaces a,ay, ,hen peering through a mirror. When an illusion is detected, the caster sees, through a mirror’s refection, a light blue aura surround it allo,ing it to be seen even in darkness. Higher Grades. At grade II the caster automatically succeeds at detecting nearby illusions ,ith no need for a mirror, instead. At grade III the caster also detects (and can see through) illusions up to +5 spaces a,ay.
Ariawyn’s Perinvisia Detect Invisibility Order: 0th Blue Magic – No Cast Cost Casting Time: 3 half-round actions Range: Caster Duration: 8 rounds The caster can detect the direction of anything invisible (or ethereal) that is in brightness, or in the light of a full moon, up to 2 spaces a,ay. Higher Grades. At grade II the caster can also see the invisible object (or creature) as a semi-translucent shape, even ,hen its in the light of a ,axing moon. At grade III the caster can also detect the invisible up to +3 spaces a,ay, even ,hen its in t,ilight or the light of a ,aning (or dark) moon.
GREEN MAGIC Feral Kinship Locate Beast or Plant Order: 0th Green Magic – No Cast Cost Casting Time: 30 minutes Range: 400 spaces (outdoors) / 20 spaces (indoors) Duration: Instantaneous (see belo,) The caster may turn and sense ,hen they’re facing in the direction of a beast (or plant) of a type they’re familiar ,ith, ,ithin range. Higher Grades. At grade II the spell’s duration lasts for +5 minutes, and the caster may also discern the direction the creature is traveling (if any). At grade III the caster may also detect ho, many creatures of the same type are ,ithin range, as ,ell as the relative condition of, and distance to, the closest one detected. Open Adventure Basic Rulebook – 45
Chapter VI: Magic
Solanum Bane Detect Poison Order: 0th Green Magic – No Cast Cost Casting Time: 10 minutes Range: 1 creature/object, or 3 volume Duration: Instantaneous The caster can determine if a creature, object, or area has been poisoned (or is poisonous). Higher Grades. At grade II the caster can also detect poisonous salves & secretions at t,ice the normal range. At grade III the caster can also determine the exact type of poison that is being used, as ,ell as any nearby antidotes (,ithin range).
Percipient Phenology Commune with Nature Order: 0th Green Magic – No Cast Cost Casting Time: 50 minutes Range: 24 spaces + 1D x 100 spaces Duration: 1 half-round The caster becomes attuned ,ith nature, allo,ing them to gather unique insight and kno,ledge about the surrounding territory. The caster may ask three questions about the region that ,ill be ans,ered by the Game Host, concerning one or more of the follo,ing topics:
Ground/terrain
Plants
Minerals/Ore
Beasts & Insects
Bodies of Water
General Ecological State
Higher Grades. At grade II the caster may also ask questions regarding the populous of any nearby humanoids. At grade III the caster may also ask questions regarding the presence of any nearby unnatural creatures (aberrations, constructs, fiends, monstrosities, ooze, or undead).
RED MAGIC Ki Eye Detect Vitals Order: 0th Red Magic – No Cast Cost Casting Time: 2 rounds Range: 3 spaces Duration: Instantaneous The caster may ascertain the score of one secondary ability (of the caster’s choice) of one humanoid ,ithin range. Higher Grades. At grade II the caster may instead ascertain the score of one primary ability (of the caster’s choice), as ,ell as all of its dependent secondary abilities. At grade III the caster also
learns of any non-magical conditions & natural resistances that the humanoid may have.
Cytopetulance Detect Disease Order: 0th Red Magic – No Cast Cost Casting Time: 40 minutes Range: 6 volume (cone) Duration: Instantaneous The caster can detect the presence (or absence) of a disease they’re familiar ,ith, ,ithin range. Higher Grades. At grade II the caster also learns of the incubation period of the disease, the damage it causes, and the level (and type) of contagiousness it has. At grade III the caster can also detect the number of creatures infected ,ith the disease (,ithin range), as ,ell as their current location, and condition.
Master Mujo‘s Auspex Detect Attack Order: 0th Red Magic – No Cast Cost Casting Time: 1 half-round action Range: 10 spaces Duration: Instantaneous The caster can discern the type of conditions and damage of one random non-magical attack of a humanoid (of the caster’s choice), ,ithin range. Higher Grades. At grade II the caster also learns the amount of damage that the attack can infict, as ,ell as any combat abilities it has. At grade III the caster may also discern the same details of a second attack the target may posses.
WHITE MAGIC Sacrosanct Providence Divine Communion Order: 0th White Magic – No Cast Cost Casting Time: 40 minutes Range: Caster Duration: Instantaneous The caster communes ,ith a morally good deity– or agent thereof–allo,ing them to gather divine kno,ledge. The caster may ask the deity one question that can be ans,ered by a simple “yes”, “no”, or “unclear” response. The response given is correct ,ithin the perspective of the deity and the limits of their kno,ledge. Higher Grades. At grade II the caster may also ask the deity an additional question. At grade III the caster may ask a question that can be ans,ered ,ith a short response (of five or less ,ords), instead.
Holy Flame Of Talariel Sense Good
46 – Open Adventure Basic Rulebook
Chapter VI: Magic Order: 0th White Magic – No Cast Cost Casting Time: 20 minutes Range: Caster Duration: 1D+2 minutes A fame adjacent to the caster ,ill burn brilliant,hite and smokeless if any good creatures, consecrated land, or blessed items are ,ithin 7 volume of it. Higher Grades. At grade II the fame also forms the shape of a dove, ,ith its sparks foating in the direction of the closest holy or blessed thing ,ithin +3 spaces. At grade III the caster can also concentrate on the fame and see the identity of the holiness dance in the fire’s confagration.
ACHROMATIC MAGIC Detect magic Identify enchantment Obscure Arcana (prevents detect, identify) Find Treasure Read magic inscriptions
Demise Divining Recall Death Order: 0th White Magic – No Cast Cost Casting Time: 10 minutes Range: Touch Duration: Instantaneous The caster is able to peer into the past and reveal facts about a nearby dead character’s passing. The last 10 minutes of the life of an adjacent dead character fash in the caster’s mind like a nightmare, revealing their final actions and ho, they died. Higher Grades. At grade II the caster can also see everything ,ithin 3 spaces of the character during their final moments, as ,ell as establish ho, long ago they died. At grade III the caster also divines the important moments and decisions throughout the character’s life that lead up to their ultimate demise.
LIGHT PSIONICS Detect Psionics Empathy Send Thought
DARK PSIONICS Detect Psions Discern Lies Read Mind
PRISMATIC MAGIC Postcognition Precognition Clairvoyance Clairaudience X-ray vision
Open Adventure Basic Rulebook – 47
